Wicked Deception
by larisa gold
Summary: Harry & Hermione live together as a couple. Enter Draco with a new attraction to Hermione which could jeopardize the couple’s relationship. Harry has plans for his and Hermione’s future, Draco comes up with plan of his own. Who will get the girl?
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Author's Notes:  
Thanks to my beta, Toasterlicious, who gave me enough confidence to post this and for putting up with all my newbie questions.  
Please review! I'd like to know what you think and what I can learn from my first fanfic experience.

Wicked Deception  
Chapter One

Hermione had just come out of the shower when she heard the doorbell ring.

"Now, who could that be?" she murmured to herself. She started to towel herself off and wring the water from her hair but the bell rang again, more insistently. "Oooh! I wonder how long they've been waiting."

She hurriedly reached for the nearest robe and slipped it on, not noticing its flimsy, almost sheer material. Her hair fell from her head in wet tendrils and dampened the shoulders of her robe. The doorbell rang again and the impatience of the visitor calling was apparent as the bell rang long and several times over.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," Hermione muttered. "What could possibly be so important?"

A cold draft blew in the house as Hermione opened the door. It chilled her but she wondered if it was the demeanour of the man standing before her that exuded the coldness and not the cold weather outside.

"Granger, it's about bloody time!" came a familiar drawl from the person at the door.

"Draco! I wasn't expecting anyone. You caught me ..." started Hermione.

"It's quite apparent what I caught you at. I'm here to see Potter. We've got work to discuss," interrupted Malfoy rudely.

"Harry hasn't come home from work yet, Malfoy," Hermione retorted, her tone turning disdainful. She always seemed to get frustrated quickly whenever she spoke with Draco Malfoy. His haughtiness incensed her despite her best efforts to ignore his remarks. "Why don't you come back tomorrow?"

"No, I'll wait," he replied as he sidled into the house between herself and the door.

She sighed, exasperated, and resignedly closed the door behind him.

As she turned towards him again he suddenly caught both her wrists in his hands, moved them above her head and pinned her against the wall.

"Malfoy, just what do you think you're doing? Let me go!" Hermione cried out.

Draco swiftly moved his body against hers to keep her against the wall and looked down at her. He moved his left hand so that he could hold both her wrists together against the wall and freed his right hand. He moved a finger towards her left ear and gently brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear. She flinched and tried to squirm her way out of Malfoy's grasp. He brusquely raised Hermione's arms higher which made her stand almost on tiptoe and prevented her trying to escape again.

She looked up at him and her stomach churned as she felt fear disturbingly mixed with excitement at the look in Draco's eyes. She was stunned at the thought of how tall and strong he had become. He had filled out in his chest and arms after they had finished school and he stood about the same height as Harry, who had grown about a foot taller than her. His hair hung loosely, framing his face, and his eyes were a startling shade of silver. On his head snowflakes melted in the warmth of the room and his cheekbones held a touch of colour from the cold. Hermione had never been close enough to Malfoy to notice his striking features and regretted looking into his eyes. Her heart thumped in her chest as he stared unflinchingly into her own eyes. She turned her head from his gaze.

"Quit playing around Draco. Harry will be home any minute..." she hissed.

He remained silent but moved his finger from her ear to trace a line down her neck to the neckline of her robe as his eyes followed its path. She glanced down and noticed for the first time that she was inappropriately dressed to have answered the door. She closed her eyes again and privately cringed with irritation at her predicament.

As his finger moved along her neck she could feel the cold of Malfoy's leather glove against her body, still warm from the shower. Unbidden, shivers raced over her body and down her arms and legs at his touch.

Draco pressed closer to Hermione as his finger traced the V of her neckline. A waft of spice and cinnamon hit her as he moved and caused her to nearly swoon. She squirmed again to get away.

At this, Malfoy moved hard against her and as he pressed his lips softly to her ear his hand moved the material of her robe to expose her right breast. His thumb grazed lightly across her nipple, and with his soft breath in her ear her knees weakened. She whispered breathlessly, "Draco... stop."

"Beg me to stop," he whispered. His words in her ear caused her to tilt her head towards him.

"N-no," she stammered. She felt light-headed and she might have collapsed if Draco weren't supporting her weight with his body and arms.

"You don't want to beg me? Or you don't want me to stop?" Malfoy whispered again. Hermione could imagine a smile played on his lips as he nuzzled her ear.

Renewed chills coursed over her body at these questions and her stomach twisted into a knot. She knew this was all wrong but Draco had managed in that short period of time to assail quite a few of her pleasure spots. At this point her body did not want Malfoy to stop and she was quickly losing control. Her head tilted back against the wall in a gesture of both resignation and frustration.

Before she could answer him, Draco fervently set his mouth on hers. As he kissed her lips his free hand slid in under her robe behind to the small of her back pulling her hips closer to him. He parted her lips with his tongue and ran it lightly along her teeth. Against her better judgment she felt herself give in and she exhaled a soft sigh into Malfoy's mouth.

As suddenly as Malfoy had pinned her to the wall he now stepped back from her and released her wrists. She nearly tumbled forward as he let her go but shockingly he looked cool and collected as if nothing had happened. Just then Hermione heard footsteps crunching on the snow outside the door and a key fit into the lock. She hurriedly gathered her robe around her and tied it at her waist as Harry stepped in the door.

"Love, so sorry I'm late. I got talking to Ron at work and lost track of time. Draco, you beat me home. Have you been waiting long?" Harry was a blur of activity and chatter as he pecked Hermione lightly on the cheek and took off his gloves, hat, coat and boots.

"Granger has me bored stiff waiting for you. She hasn't even as much as offered me something to drink," drawled Malfoy coolly. He glanced at his watch as if he had someplace else to be.

Hermione was shocked that Draco appeared so calm and watched Harry with unseeing eyes as he bustled about. She, on the other hand, felt light-headed and she panted slightly with the rapid beating of her heart.

"Hermione! You're not dressed yet? Our reservation is in half an hour," Harry remarked on her appearance. "If you hurry, we can still make it if we apparate."

He smiled at her warmly, squeezed her hand and headed off to the den down the hall.

Hermione slowly turned up the stairs in a daze to follow Harry's instruction but looked back briefly as Harry disappeared down the hall. He was already speaking animatedly to Draco.

Malfoy had not followed him into the den however but watched Hermione as she glanced at him. He gave her a slow, expressionless wink then turned down the hallway to follow Harry.

Hermione stood there wondering what had just happened.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Author's Notes: Thanks for the beta Toasterlicious!  
This chapter's only rated a solid PG-13. Nothing of a sexual nature in this one.  
Waves to the quietones who got a sneak peek at this before my posting here. )

Wicked Deception  
Chapter Two

Harry was speaking at length about something but Draco was not listening. His thoughts were on what he done just minutes before Harry had returned home.

Draco didn't know what possessed him to molest Hermione in the hallway. He had felt an immediate, intense desire for her and he cursed himself for having so little self-control. Then again he was used to getting what he wanted when he wanted it and it was an incredible turn-on, not to mention a good bit of fun, playing with Granger like that.

It struck him as a bitter irony that he had not noticed how attractive Hermione Granger was before tonight. If he had been aware of her at school he had no doubt he would already have been able to count her among his many sexual conquests.

Images of the girl when they were still at Hogwarts flashed in his mind. His first physical contact with her had been in their third year when he found himself on the receiving end of a hard slap to the face. At the time he had felt the pain of her hand against his face but also a deep pleasure at having affected her so deeply.

He remembered noticing her at the Yule Ball the following year on the arm of the famous Viktor Krum and had initially been struck by her appearance that night. But he had dismissed any thoughts of sexual attraction to the mudblood assuming that dress robes and glamour spells could make anyone look good.

Her Muggle status had obviously been a large factor in his never noticing her physical attributes before. And her reputation for being studious, an unbearable know-it-all and very bossy was a big turn-off. Not to mention the additional fact that she was one-third of Potter's Golden Trio, which had always been the thorn in his side during most of his time at Hogwarts. And here lay the biggest problem with this new attraction to Granger. She was now the girlfriend of that infamous Boy Who Lived, Harry Potter himself. What would Draco have given to have had this opportunity back in the day when he and Potter were bitter enemies?

Yet they had become friends stemming from the events that occurred in their last year at school and now they worked together. They weren't close mates but they got along and held a mutual respect for each other. This would've been unfathomable to themselves and everyone they knew before their seventh year at Hogwarts.

Malfoy hated to think about what happened that last year but it resulted in his father, Lucius, being sent to Azkaban permanently. There had finally been discovered undeniable proof of Lucius's dealings as a Death Eater and indeed of being Voldemort's right-hand man. Draco had enjoyed the power of learning the Dark Arts intrinsic in his family's heritage but he never had the stomach for the Death Eaters' shadier and often murderous activities. The events surrounding Lucius's downfall was enough for Draco to turn his back on everything that his father stood for.

Reluctantly he had accepted the support of Dumbledore, Snape, and even Harry as he would not have endured the last couple of months before graduation otherwise. And so he held a grudging regard for Harry as he prepared himself for that final encounter with Voldemort. Draco certainly didn't envy him the task of having to destroy the Dark Lord or of being the only one who could do it.

And so Draco realized that Harry Potter had nothing to do with his desire for Granger. He almost grinned at the thought that he was still that spoiled, selfish, and egotistical boy he was in school. He simply wanted Hermione and his little assault on Granger only served to further his desire for her. He wondered what he was going to have to do and how much he was willing to risk to have her.

As he stood debating with himself, he hadn't noticed that Harry had been silent for several minutes. Draco was unaware that he wore a determined, cunning look in his eyes and Potter was now staring openly at him.

"Draco, have you heard a word I've said?" Harry asked him suspiciously.

Malfoy stirred from his thoughts abruptly but managed to keep an air of collected poise. "Potter, your droning voice is enough to put old Professor Binns to sleep," he said as he moved from the fireplace mantle. He sat in the matching armchair across from Harry.  
He took a sip of the drink Harry had served him and looked casually around the den. Draco saw that it was a cozy work area that reflected Harry's laid-back style. It was quaint and nowhere near the size of his study at Malfoy Manor. A warm fire was set in a modest fireplace before the chairs in which they sat. Most of the walls were covered with shelves of books most probably belonging to Granger though there were large sections of reference books Harry used for his job.

Framed pictures were placed in every spare space. There were photos of Ron Weasley and his enormously large family, oafish Hagrid and other faculty from Hogwarts and also one of Harry's colleagues at the ministry, in which Draco was suspiciously missing.  
The smell of candle wax and wood fire permeated the air and the hardwood floor in the room was covered with a beautiful oriental rug.  
A short distance from the fireplace was a desk strewn with parchment, full and empty ink bottles, several quills and an assortment of Auror devices, Sneakoscopes and secrecy sensors in several sizes, some in varying states of repair. Hanging on the wall behind the desk was a foe glass. Draco recalled being told that it was the same one that Harry had first seen in their fourth year at Hogwarts.  
As his gaze returned to the fireplace he noticed a small replica of the House Cup Gryffindor had won in seventh year on the mantel. It sat between a picture of Harry's parents dancing in front of a fountain and one of Harry and Hermione. In this photo they looked at each other then turned to grin at him, each of them wearing a red clown nose that intermittently lit up.

"Draco, are you all right?" Harry asked him.

"Yes, of course, Potter." Draco replied coolly. He sniffed, "Who on earth is your interior decorator?"

"You don't like the room? I rather like the space myself. Hermione and I decorated it together." Harry smiled as he looked around the room and settled his gaze on the picture of him and Hermione on the mantle. "Getting back to it, what is your thought on Dumbledore's update to his plan against Voldemort?"

"Potter, I haven't yet read Dumbledore's parchment. He just gave it to us as the day ended," Draco replied huffily. "Is that why you asked me to meet you tonight?"

Harry smiled at him embarrassedly and said, "No, actually." He sat forward in his chair and looked directly at Draco. "I wondered if I could ask you a favour."

* * *

Under magically-warming awnings, Ginny Weasley sat on the terrace of her favourite café, sipped at a hot drink and watched people as they passed each other on the snowy sidewalk. Often the masses simply passed from shop to shop, but every now and again some came together, exchanged hugs and Christmas wishes and talked excitedly about parties or gifts. Ginny loved to people-watch and Diagon Alley a few weeks before Christmas was packed with people. She looked forward to Saturday mornings when she treated herself to a morning of sitting around with coffee and her weekly visit with Hermione.

She noticed Hermione before Hermione saw Ginny. Her bushy brown hair, even under her snowcap, was hard to miss in the crowd of people that passed by the café. Hermione looked a little harried but that was to be expected as she had mentioned having to do some Christmas shopping before meeting Ginny. Hermione now saw Ginny. She gave her a wary smile and waved as she pushed herself to Ginny's table.

"I'm so sorry I'm late. I overslept and didn't get to do half the things I had planned for this morning!" stated Hermione in a huff as she dumped herself into the chair beside Ginny.

She smiled affectionately at Hermione saying, "Don't worry! You know I love to kick back on Saturday mornings and leave the stress of moving around the Alley to lovely folk like yourself!" Ginny reached over to hug her and then called the waiter to order another drink and something for Hermione. She leaned over to Hermione and said, "So do tell me what you were all in a pickle over last night on the phone!"

Hermione blushed furiously at this comment and looked away quickly. She then said, "Ginny! Something happened last night and I don't know what to make of it! Maybe you can figure it out and give me a clue what to do!"  
Hermione then related every detail of what happened between her and Draco the night before. She also described her feeling of helplessness, that she felt she had given in to Draco and then also that she was guilt-ridden to think what this meant for her and Harry. Ginny was captivated and allowed Hermione to get it all out without interruptions. She only nodded and raised her eyebrows at the steamier parts of her story.

"You know, I always knew Malfoy was a pushover for the smart ones," she smirked at Hermione when she had finished telling her story.

"Ginny! Don't make fun! I don't know how I let things go so far. I feel utterly man-handled but" she blushed again as the waiter raised an eyebrow at her comment while setting her tea in front of her.

She continued once the waiter had left to serve another table, "...but I can't say that I wasn't totally turned on. He knew exactly what buttons to press. What's wrong with me? Harry will be livid."

At this Ginny gave her a reassuring smile and patted her back. "Hermione, you shouldn't give it another thought. Draco was just playing with you and Harry doesn't even have to know. Malfoy was such a player back at Hogwarts. I'm sure he had his way with all the Slytherin girls and half from Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. And I'm pretty sure that he would've worked through Gryffindor if there wasn't such a bitter rivalry between him and Harry."

Ginny noted that Hermione looked surprised by her comments. As she looked at Hermione she noted with a little pity that for someone so intelligent she would miss the obvious going on around her. Hermione probably had no idea that that kind of behaviour even took place back at Hogwarts. She must have been holed up in the library while Draco snogged every girl at school in spare classrooms around the grounds. Indeed it was no surprise that he had taken advantage of the girl in her own house last night. The surprising thing was that it was Hermione he had accosted.

Ginny scrutinized her friend as she sat sipping her tea. Upon graduating from Hogwarts she had matured into a woman. At school the features of her face had never stood out except for her eyes which Ginny had always envied. Their warm, cinnamon colour always reflected her natural curiosity enticing anyone to join her in finding out more. But now her powerful intellect combined with her good nature gave her face elegance only acquired through experience and age. The rest of her facial features had now seemed to catch up with her eyes and the whole look blended beautifully. Her hair, though still wild and unruly when she didn't have the time to charm it, had deepened in colour and added to her beauty. And Hermione's figure had blossomed into womanly curves and she didn't seem to have to work too hard to keep herself in shape. Upon reflection Ginny realized that Malfoy would have been hard-pressed to resist Hermione. But now she had a suspicious feeling about Malfoy having made a move on Harry's girlfriend. Ginny continued, "And speaking of Harry and Draco's relationship, they did hate each other didn't they?"

"They did most of the time we were in school," Hermione responded as she set her teacup down. "They became friends partly due to my influence combined with Dumbledore's and, if you can believe it, the Sorting Hat. The last few years we were at school that Hat kept going on about uniting the houses to defeat the Dark Lord.

"As we grew older I don't know that Harry really despised Draco anyway. His hate was all directed towards Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Harry certainly held some animosity towards Draco because his father was a Death Eater but then Draco renounced his father's behaviour and actions. After school Harry convinced him to work at the Ministry and his extensive knowledge of the Dark Arts has come in handy for the Aurors. But from what Ron tells me he's still the same arrogant prat he was in school."

Ginny nodded as she knew full-well Ron's opinion of Draco Malfoy. She shared his dislike of the entire Malfoy clan and wondered whether she ought to mention Draco's recent actions to Ron. But upon seeing Hermione's renewed look of guilt and frustration she decided not to mention this to anyone. Ginny smiled at Hermione and tried to comfort her by saying, "Hey! It was a one-time thing and Malfoy was just playing around! He is a bit of bad business, that Malfoy, and I wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him. Just do your best not to be alone with him from now on and things will be fine."

She looked at Hermione keenly, hoping that she wouldn't worry and would take her advice to keep her distance from Malfoy. When she saw Hermione slowly nod her head in agreement she continued, "Now if you want to talk about a truly extravagant sex life you've come to the right person!"

Ginny was glad to see Hermione relax as she settled into her chair to drink her tea and be regaled with her nightclub tales of the past week.

* * *

"Potter, I can't believe I let you drag me out to do this," Draco complained for the umpteenth time.

Harry noticed that even when Draco was complaining he didn't sound like a whining git. He looked him over and noted his impeccable dress and fine demeanor. Every aspect of his appearance was well-groomed and his bearing commanded attention wherever he went. His great taste in food, clothing, jewelry and even women was the reason that Harry asked Malfoy to assist him today. This was a very special task Harry had set out to do.

The previous night he had little time to convince Draco to accompany him since he was running late and Hermione would be down any minute to go for dinner.

When Harry asked Draco for help, it was the first time that he had ever seen Malfoy dumbfounded and speechless. Harry was waiting for one of Draco's usual snide remarks but didn't know what to do when he just looked at Harry and said nothing.

"So you'll help me then?" Harry had entreated him.

Malfoy really could not come up with any good reason he could give Harry to back out of giving him the help he requested.

So now, as they browsed what had to be the tenth shop in the Alley, Draco muttered something about the poor taste in the décor. "Potter, why are you dragging me to all the jewelers in Diagon Alley when I could have just brought you to the best one in London from the start?"

Harry knew Malfoy was unenthusiastic about assisting him in this matter but he couldn't think of anyone else who had the knowledge he needed. Ultimately Draco had admitted that he was indeed the best suited to help find the perfect engagement ring for Harry to give to Hermione.

* * *


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Notes:  
Toasterlicious is a fabulous beta!  
This chapter has an R rating. Young ones, please cover your eyes.  
I'm dedicating this to Christi-Lynn and courtney119. Thank you for your reviews and I hope you enjoy this chapter. Sorry for the LONG wait!

Wicked Deception  
Chapter Three

When Hermione arrived home after her visit with Ginny, her heart skipped a beat when she saw Draco's tailored robe hung on the coat rack. His immaculate leather boots sat next to Harry's old, scuffed-up boots and Hermione stopped to think at how they couldn't possibly keep Draco's feet warm in the snow outside. She shook her head at Draco's vanity then steeled herself to face him again and headed down the hall towards the den.

She popped her head in and saw a warm fire set in the fireplace but no one was in the room. She turned back down the hall and headed upstairs. Voices came from the kitchen and she made her way there to find an open bottle of wine and an empty glass sitting on the counter. Across the kitchen at the small breakfast nook, the table held a lavish cheese and cracker assortment and two glasses half-filled with red wine. Harry and Draco were seated across from each other as they discussed the intricacies of some Quidditch move and not noticed Hermione come in.

"Hello boys! What's the occasion?" She pointed to the wine and cheese and made a brave attempt at levity though she could feel butterflies in her stomach as she glanced at Draco. "Is this glass for me?"

As she picked up the empty glass Harry made his way towards her. Harry took the glass from her, set it down and wrapped her up in his arms. He gazed into her eyes, held her close, and planted a soft kiss on her nose and then on her lips.

"I think you've had a bit of wine already," Hermione noted to Harry softly. For the time being, all thoughts of Draco were gone from her mind. Harry's loving arms enveloped her and she felt safe and warm. He dipped his head again to kiss her and she parted her lips slightly to take in his warmth. Her eyes closed blissfully and she was disappointed when Harry gently pulled back from her.

"I've missed you all day! Did you have a good visit with Ginny? How's she doing? All Ron can tell me is that she spends all her time hanging out at the clubs. When will she settle down?" Hermione smiled tenderly at Harry's concern over Ginny's love life and squeezed him in a big hug.

As she looked over Harry's shoulder she saw Draco staring at them. It disturbed Hermione that she could not read his expression but she gave him a small smile and pulled away from Harry.

"Hello, Draco," she greeted him airily. Malfoy looked at her but didn't respond. His steady gaze was direct but not cold.

Harry handed Hermione her wine and motioned for her to sit where he had been at the table. "I'm going to wash up a bit. Help yourself to the cheese and crackers. Draco picked them up while we were out today." He grinned at them both and walked out. Hermione observed that Harry was unusually happy, almost giddy. She was glad to see this since he had been working long hours lately and this was the first time in weeks he was actually relaxing. Then she thought that it was peculiar the two had spent a Saturday together but concluded that it probably had to do with work. She lifted her eyes to Draco wondering what she should say.

Draco solved this by snidely saying, "What do you see in Potter?" His eyes flashed brilliant silver as he looked into her eyes. She tensed defensively but after several seconds his continued stare made her uncomfortable. He radiated a strong confidence which she recognized from the night before.

"How can you ask me that?" She stared back at him directly, not wanting him to feel like he had the upper hand. "You two are friends."

Her hands betrayed her show of confidence as she fiddled with the stem of her wine glass. She stopped herself, aware that she was fidgeting, and her hands came to rest on the table. She didn't know if her last comment related to his recent question or their recent encounter.

Draco reached out quickly and grabbed her left hand. "I read palms. Would you like me to read yours?" He turned her hand over and lightly brushed his fingertips against her palm. His feather touches automatically sent electric currents through her. It gave her goose pimples on the tops of her arms and the insides of her thighs. How he could get away with touching her like this again was beyond her. She made to take her hand away from his but he held her fast and wouldn't let go.

"Draco, please don't do this." Hermione was out of her mind not knowing what to do as Draco continued to caress her palm with his fingers. She wanted to move away from him but at the same time she could not resist his touch. Without his gloves she could see that he had well-manicured fingers and his hands were soft. She thought of Harry's hands, how rough they were and that he always chewed his nails down to the bit.

"Don't you want to know what I see?" Draco spoke softly across the table. The husky resonance of his voice sent shivers down her back. His stare bore into her and as she looked at him she started to lose herself in his steady gaze and clear, gray eyes. She couldn't move and she realized she was holding her breath in anticipation of his next move.

Malfoy dropped his eyes to her palm and sensually traced the lines on her hand. He moved her hand closer to his face, she thought to get a better look at the lines, but instead he bent his head and placed a slow, languorous kiss in the center of her palm. She melted in her chair and hoped that Draco did not notice the effect he was having on her. He then planted light, feather kisses on each of her fingertips. Hermione gasped inwardly as tiny tremors passed through her at every kiss. She stared at the top of his head as Draco kissed her hand.

He looked into her eyes again and whispered, "Do you want me to stop?"

"Draco, what are you doing?" Hermione found it difficult to get the words out.

He dropped her hand and picked up his wineglass as Harry stepped back into the kitchen.

Ron and Harry stood at the bar and watched Ginny and Hermione as they moved on the dance floor.

"Whose idea was it to invite that lousy git out with us anyway?" Ron accused Harry.

"It was my idea, Ron," Harry smiled warily at him. He decided not to get into an argument here because he knew he'd never get Ron to change his mind about Malfoy. Ron had never liked Draco Malfoy and having him hang around with them was a bitter pill for him to swallow. He made it clear to Harry that they may have to work together but he didn't want to have to spend his spare time with Malfoy as well. "He really helped me out today, you know."

"I know, I know... helped you pick out the damn near most expensive ring in London is what he did!" Ron exclaimed.

When Ron smiled as he said this Harry knew that for all his jibing he was extremely happy that Harry had decided to propose to Hermione. And any reservations Ron might have had for the timing of Harry's proposal he buried deep down. He quickly thought how pleased Ron's mother would be as she constantly remarked to both of them that it was time Harry made an honest woman of Hermione.

They both turned to lean on the bar as Ron asked, "When are you planning on popping the question?"

Harry held his butterbeer between his hands and looked down into it. "I want it to be special. Do you have any ideas?"

"Mate, you're talking to the wrong guy about this. Maybe you should ask your pal Malfoy for help on this one as well." Ron glanced down to the end of the bar at Draco's lone figure staring out across the dance floor.

Harry sighed. "I already did and he told me to propose while in the throes of passion."

"He's disgusting, you know that, mate?" Ron retorted as he took a sip of his butterbeer.

Hermione wasn't in much of a mood to dance but she couldn't tell Harry her reason for not wanting to go out tonight. Harry had looked forward to the outing all week. Ginny met up with them and she was a little shocked to see Draco had accompanied Harry and Hermione.

"Hey, Malfoy! Can you even dance in those fancy boots you've got on?" Ginny teased.

"Bugger off, Weasley," he snapped at her and walked away to the bar. Ginny made a face at him and pulled Hermione to the dance floor with her. Harry rolled his eyes skyward and then towed Ron to the bar to order some drinks.

Ginny leant in close to Hermione, "What is Malfoy doing here? He didn't come with you guys did he?"

"Harry invited him." She had to yell so Ginny could hear her.

"Did you say anything to Malfoy about last night?" Ginny asked Hermione, one eyebrow cocked higher than the other.

"No, not with Harry around," she lied. She didn't want Ginny to know that Draco had made another advance on her. Hermione thought she was liable to go over and deck Malfoy if she knew.

She glanced at the bar and saw Harry and Ron leaning towards each other deep in conversation. As she moved her eyes to the end of the bar she caught Draco staring directly at her. Quickly she looked to Ginny but sneaked a look back at Draco from the corner of her eye. He was no longer looking at her but talking closely with a beautiful blonde standing next to him. Hermione was slightly relieved that he had stopped looking at her. It was creepy but yet something in his look sent tingles down her spine. She loved Harry but she had to admit that Draco excited her. She was awash with guilt but her body trembled at the thought of Draco touching her again.

Feeling the beginnings of a headache come on she excused herself from Ginny and headed to see Harry and Ron. They had ordered her a drink but she excused herself again to go to the bathroom.

In the cool air and muted silence of the bathroom, Hermione bent her head down to her cool hands as she sat in the powder area. It was strangely empty, but it was still early, and perhaps no one had drunk enough yet to need the lavatory.

Her thoughts returned to Draco and how she was supposed to handle their brief encounters. That Harry was friends with Draco made it all the more difficult. She didn't know how this would affect Draco's and Harry's relationship or hers and Harry's relationship for that matter. Though she had not instigated either encounter with Draco she couldn't help but feel that she had done something terribly wrong.

She sat with her head in her hands for several minutes. Was he playing her as Ginny suggested? What did he want from her? Was he trying to ruin her relationship with Harry? Why was she thinking about his hands and his lips on her?

How could she heed Ginny's advice and stay away from Draco if Harry was asking him over all the time?

When Harry had come back to the kitchen earlier that night, Draco acted like nothing had happened again. Harry poured them more wine and settled in beside Hermione and continued their conversation about Quidditch. She said very little and not once did Draco look at her.

Harry then asked Malfoy to come with them to the club and she had nearly keeled over with surprise. How could she handle the whole night with him around?

Suddenly she felt the tiny hairs on the back of her neck stand up. Glancing up at the mirror in front of her she saw Draco standing behind her. Hermione got to her feet and turned quickly towards him.

"Malfoy, leave me alone!" she demanded. She watched his eyes rake over her.

"Granger, I find you incredibly sexy," he said, his voice barely masking a low growl. Hermione was surprised by his bluntness.

She wore a black skirt that rode modestly low on her hips and hung about midway down her thighs. Over top she had chosen a sparkly silver halter that was bare in back except for spaghetti ties knotted below her shoulder blades and around the back of her neck. Sandals that showed off her long legs were strapped to her feet. Her thick brown hair was charmed straight and hung loosely around her face and down her back. She wore little makeup but had applied a warm, pink gloss to her lips that shone in the bathroom lights.

She had dressed appropriately for the nightclub for Harry's benefit but she couldn't help but feel a tiny inkling of pleasure that Draco approved.

She stood frozen as she watched him move slowly towards her around the bench she had been sitting on. Her heart beat heavily in her chest until he stood before her and put his hands on her upper arms. She might have backed away from him had she not already had her back to the counter. His face was so close to hers that she could see his long eyelashes as he blinked down at her.

"Draco, I can't do this," she whispered to him. "I love Harry."

"Granger, I don't want your love. Potter can have it. But this..." and he set his hands on her hips. "This is what I want. And I want you to give it to me willingly."

"No," Hermione gasped, but she was torn between staying and fleeing from the room.

He leaned against her, put his mouth to her ear and whispered, "You will because you can't resist me."

"Where's Hermione? She left me all alone on the dance floor!" Ginny complained when she sidled up to Harry and Ron at the bar.

"Who are you kidding, Ginny?" Ron grimaced. "We saw you snogging that guy out there! Have you no shame?"

Harry grinned at the two of them and thought about their relationship as brother and sister. They were like family to him and were as close to a brother and sister Harry would ever have but he never felt the same comfortable rapport they shared with each other. Both he and Hermione were only children and didn't understand the nuances of banter and bickering between siblings.

"I think Hermione went to the 'loo," he answered Ginny. "Can you go see if she's ok? She's been gone a little while."

"Sure Harry, no problem. I have to touch up my lipstick anyway," she smirked and winked at Ron as she headed towards the nearest bathrooms.

Outside the bathrooms a "Closed for Cleaning" sign hovered in front of the ladies door.

"Oh, bollocks!" Ginny sighed. "The other bathrooms are on the other side of the club. That's probably what's taking Hermione so long. It's easy to get lost down there." She turned and headed towards the other bathrooms.

Hermione's knees melted again as she inhaled Draco's spice and cinnamon scent, his breath in her ear. What was wrong with her? Did she have absolutely no willpower?

Draco held her hips and pushed himself against her as he put his lips to her neck. His light, soft hair tickled her ear as he laid soft kisses along the underside of her jaw. She hesitated to touch him but as he moved to put more kisses on the other side of her neck she lightly set her hands on his back. He had the same build as Harry but held himself differently and so seemed more slender.

Her heart skipped a beat as he put his mouth on hers. When he kissed her the night before he had merely lined her teeth with his tongue but this time he wanted to delve deeper into her mouth. She parted her lips to let his tongue touch hers and her mind numbed as she tasted him for the first time. Tilting her head to allow him better access her breath caught in her throat as he slowly flicked his tongue against hers. Enraptured by the achingly slow exploration of his kiss she barely felt his hands move up her back and reach to untie the knot at the back of her shirt. Once the knot was loosened he reached for her neck to undo the knot there. Meanwhile he had moved his mouth to her ear and licked softly at the bottoms of the lobes and breathed softly and slowly into her ear.

Hermione couldn't think straight with Malfoy so adept at reaching each of her pleasure points in turn. His hands now fluttered down over her spine sending more tingles over her body and she arched her body against his. The only thing keeping her shirt on was Draco's body pressed against hers. Her mind suddenly shouted out to her, "Stop this!" but her body was inundated with Draco's touch and she couldn't help herself. She let Draco pull her shirt away to expose her upper body.

She watched as Malfoy moved his head back to look down at her. His hands traveled down to her breasts and he outlined their outer curve with his palms. He moved his hands to the underside of her breasts, cupped the weight of them and gently stroked the nipples with his thumbs. She moaned ever so softly as he did this and closed her eyes.

Suddenly, she pulled back surprised as Draco ran his tongue unhurriedly over her left nipple while his hand tugged gently at her right nipple. Her eyes flew open and she thought that if she didn't stop this now there was no going back.

"Draco, I can't do this!" she cried and she pushed him back from her. There was no visible reaction from him.

He put his hands on her shoulders and turned her around to face herself in the mirror. Her cheeks were burning and she had small red marks on her breasts where he had brushed his nails against her.

"We both want this," Draco told her reflection. He stepped back from her then disapparated with a soft pop.

Hermione picked her top off the floor and tied the ends around her neck. Just then a knock came at the door and a woman popped her head in. "Have they finished cleaning in here yet? I really have to go!" Hermione nodded and the girl raced to a stall. She thought briefly that Malfoy's habit of leaving her just before someone appeared was getting a tad bit annoying.

Then she looked at herself in the mirror. Her eyes screamed at her reflection, _what are you doing?_

She dropped her head into her hands again while her heart beat rapidly in her chest.


	4. Chapter 4

**DISCLAIMER:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Author notes:** Thanks to my beta Toasterlicious.  
So sorry I haven't updated here at But now you'll get the next 4 chapters all in a row!

Wicked Deception  
Chapter Four

Hermione woke to light kisses over her cheeks and nose. She opened her eyes and saw the familiar view of the room from her and Harry's bed.

"Good morning," Harry whispered as he continued to give her kisses. "How are you feeling?"

She smiled weakly and moved her arm across Harry's waist.

Hermione remembered the night before, coming out of the bathroom of the club feeling even worse than when she went in. Harry noticed her discomfort immediately and asked her if everything was alright. She nodded meekly but told him that she needed to go home to lie down. Apologizing profusely she suggested that Harry stay longer at the club but he wouldn't hear of it and, not having found Draco anywhere in the club, both Ron and Ginny came home with them. After Hermione had gone up to bed, they continued their conversation in the kitchen.

She lay a while listening to their happy chatter but couldn't get the thought of Draco out of her head. Feelings of guilt rose in her because though she loved Harry, Draco's touch was so different from his. It was horrible of her but he excited her immensely. With Harry she could read his expressions like they were her own but because she didn't know what Malfoy was thinking or feeling it gave their encounters an intense sexual tension. It was a sensation entirely new to her as she didn't have much experience in this area, Harry being her only real boyfriend at and since school.

If Malfoy wanted to arouse her during their encounter together he had succeeded remarkably. She felt an overwhelming need to release the tension that he had built inside her. Hermione closed her eyes and moved her hand lightly across her neck tracing the path of Draco's kisses. Her hand stirred to her breasts and she skimmed her thumbs lightly over her nipples as Draco had done. As she massaged her nipples through her nightgown she thought of his breath in her ear. Moving her hands lower she tickled over her stomach and brought her hands down on her soft mound, his startling eyes imprinted on the backs of her eyelids. While she touched herself she had sudden flashes of Draco's scent, his soft hands, his fine hair. Her pulse quickened and the thought of Draco's lips on hers made her moan softly. As soon as she thought of his tongue grazing her nipple she gasped out loud and felt a wave of intense bliss grip her body.

When her breath returned to normal, she fell asleep to the sounds of light laughter coming from downstairs and visions of Draco swirled in the fading mist of her consciousness.

Now in the early morning light, Hermione felt an immense wave of guilt as she felt Harry's kisses become more forceful. She felt deplorable for her inability to show any strength against Malfoy when she was with the man she truly loved and it crossed her mind how very Slytherin it was for Draco to take advantage of her now, when she would least expect it. At school she would've had her guard up at all times around him and likely hexed him if he had ever made a move against her. She wondered why she had ever let her guard down around Malfoy.

Harry kissed her neck now in the spots she liked best. His familiar hands caressed her lovingly. He knew her so well and never failed to make her knees weak with his touch. Her breath came faster and Harry moved on top of her, his weight comfortable and familiar. Before Harry continued he asked her again, "You're feeling better?"

She thought of stopping him because it felt wildly inappropriate to her. How could she consider making love to Harry when she had resorted to getting herself off just the night before over some other man she held absolutely no love for?

As she pondered what to do his hand caressed her arm and brushed lightly over her breast through the thin cotton of her nightgown. Tingles ran up her spine and she could feel his arousal against her thigh, his hooded eyes also showed the deep desire he had for her.

Any misgivings she had of being with Harry now dissolved in those eyes and she nodded briefly and covered his mouth with hers pulling him closer. Her hands roamed over his back and arms loving the feel of him. She inhaled deeply, thinking how much she loved the smell of him. This was where she was meant to be, and this was the man she was meant to be with.

He entered her slowly and she gasped at the exquisite sensation of him inside her. She could not help feeling how perfect they fit together as they lay entwined without moving; her head nestled in the crook of his neck. Her leg wound round the back of his knee, his arms held her back in a tight embrace. He locked his eyes on hers as he began to move within her. She felt herself sink into the deep pools of green as he slowly pulled back and pushed into her again. His unhurried, patient thrusts soon drove her to move her own hips to quicken his pace. She saw her impatience reflected in his eyes as the pressure built inside her at his steady force against her sex. He obliged her and rolled his hips into her own with faster and shorter thrusts. At the very edge of her climax he plunged deep into her as they reached the height of their ecstasy at the same time; their heads thrown back as the same powerful pleasure gripped them both. She shivered in her prolonged orgasm and he smiled and rested his forehead against hers.

As they lay together, breathing shallowly, she held her hand to his face and whispered, "I love you, you know that?"

"I do know." He kissed her lips and moved off to lie beside her. She turned towards him and they kissed each other gently as they lay in each others arms. "I love you too," he whispered back.

As they lay dozing in and out of sleep, Hermione realized that rejecting Draco's advances wouldn't be hard. She couldn't fathom being with any man other than Harry and she fell into a light sleep.

When she woke again, she could smell breakfast cooking downstairs and heard Harry's soft humming floating up the stairs. In the late morning light she tousled her hair and stretched. Hermione thought what a fool she had been to have yielded to Draco so easily and she made up her mind that she would firmly reject any further advances from Malfoy.

She heard the stairs creak as Harry bounded up the steps and she grinned at him as he came through the doorway with a platter.

"I made us breakfast in bed!" Harry made a grand flourish as he balanced the fully laden tray in his arms.

She stood up and pulled a robe over herself. "It all looks so delicious, Harry. You've outdone yourself!" Hermione drew Harry to her for a deep kiss, tasting a hint of bacon on his tongue. She then pulled the sheets back to let him set the tray down on the bed.

Harry sat and smiled down at the tray. Before Hermione sat down beside him her attention was automatically drawn to two flutes with red velvet ribbon tied around the stems.

"What's with the champagne for breakfast?" Hermione asked Harry of the flutes.

He winked at her and took her hand to sit her down on the bed beside him. As she sat she could see, tied to one of the ribbons, a beautiful diamond engagement ring. Turning quickly to Harry she looked at him, her eyes wide with wonder.

"Say you'll marry me, Hermione," he smiled questioningly at her.

Hermione saw before her the boy she had grown up with and the man she loved. His hair still held that boyish wildness that he could never tame and his deep, green eyes held a sparkle of anticipation as he awaited her answer.

She immediately wrapped her arms around Harry and squeezed as tight as she could. As she pulled her head back from his shoulder, her arms still wrapped around him, Hermione looked into his eyes and knew there was no other answer to his question.

"Yes, I'll marry you, Harry!" Her face burst into a happy smile. He grinned back at her, took her face in his hands and kissed her gently. Pulling back from her he removed the ring from its ribbon then took her hand and slipped the delicate band on her finger. They both looked down at her hand and Hermione gasped. "Harry! This is absolutely gorgeous! I love it! I love you!"

She wrapped her arms around him again tears of joy streaming down Hermione's face.

Sunday afternoon found them on the couch in their living room. Hermione had her head on Harry's lap while she read the Daily Prophet. Harry was reading the Quidditch tallies, twirling a strand of her hair in his fingers lazily. This was a ritual they had performed ever since leaving Hogwarts. Lately though, they hadn't had the luxury of lazing around Sunday afternoons as Harry often had to work weekends.

Hermione knew something big was going on in the Auror Department Harry worked for at the Ministry for Magic. Although she also worked at the Ministry, she was assigned to the Research Department and didn't know the details of Harry's occupation. In fact, very few people were aware of the work the Aurors performed. Since Dumbledore was now Minister for Magic only the select group of people he had personally assembled in the Auror Department was privy to that information. Yet while their tasks were shrouded in mystery, rumors abounded of big events on the horizon.

Hermione stared up at Harry as his eyes switched right and left reading the paper.

"What's going on at work, Harry?" she asked. She felt him tense and almost regretted asking the question. He never spoke about his work with her and she didn't know if he was instructed to keep his work secret or if Harry simply didn't want her to know what he was involved in. "I think you should confide in me about what you do. You know, now that I'm going to be your wife."

Despite the uncomfortable topic a smile played on her lips as she called herself Harry's wife. Her smile faded quickly though because it bothered her that he didn't disclose anything about work without her having to ask. At school she had always been a part of Harry's adventures but that had changed when their relationship as platonic best friends changed. This was a sore point for her upon graduating and resulted in more than a few arguments with Harry.

After the momentous battle that occurred at the Ministry in their fifth year, Hermione, Harry and Ron had discussed what they wanted to do after Hogwarts. Both Ron and Harry expressed their mutual interest in becoming Aurors but Hermione, still recovering from the injuries she had sustained, wasn't fond of the concept of battling Death Eaters and dark wizards for a living. It was common for Muggles to attend university or a vocational college after secondary education, and Hermione's parents expected her to do so. She certainly wanted to continue her education and just had to decide whether she would attend a Wizarding or Muggle institution. Hermione had been leaning towards the study of Arithmancy and Runes at some esteemed Wizarding university until the events of their seventh year.

With the capture and permanent imprisonment of Voldemort's right-hand man, many were of the opinion that the Dark Lord's downfall was imminent. However when Voldemort eluded defeat, Hermione decided that she would be needed in the fight and decided that she too would become an Auror. By that time, she and Harry were already a couple and he was adamant that she find another line of work. He categorically forbade Hermione becoming an Auror and she suspected he had convinced Dumbledore to deny her acceptance to Auror Studies upon graduation. During his seventh year, Harry had become a confident, assured young man and realized how powerful a wizard he was. No longer one to back down when he and Hermione got into an argument he had triumphed in his wish for Hermione to find another line of work, one in which she would not have to face danger directly. So with Dumbledore's influence she was assigned to Research at the Ministry. She knew that she was at least contributing something to the fight against Voldemort since she was engaged in many requests for information from the Auror Department.

However Hermione was stubborn and in the first year after graduation she had often brought up this bone of contention, arguing with Harry about wanting to be actively involved like he and Ron. After one particularly heated argument after which she and Harry had not spoken for several days, he made her promise to stop thinking of becoming an Auror for his sake. She complied with his wish but it never sat well with her, being kept in the dark all these years. So instead she poured all these frustrations into her work and was the best researcher in her department, often being called upon not only for the Auror Department but many other departments throughout the Ministry. Consequently she wasn't able to piece together what the Aurors were planning or even what the use was of the information she had gathered for them.

"Let's not talk about work, Hermione," Harry responded, his eyes glued to the paper in his hands.

Harry felt himself tense when Hermione asked him about work. He had made it one of his personal obligations to keep her as far as he could from the dangers he was involved in. If she knew that there were plans in the works to fulfill the prophecy made about him and Voldemort so many years ago she would worry and even become angry. She would also set about trying to find a way to help him.

Throughout school he was grateful that Ron and Hermione were there for him every time he had to face the Dark Lord. However since the time that he admitted his love for Hermione he could not bear the thought of involving her in any more danger. They had argued over this point endlessly at one time but this was something over which he absolutely put his foot down. Harry was determined not to lose to Voldemort the one thing that mattered the most to him. However, she was right about becoming his wife. Perhaps it was bad timing for him to have proposed to her as they launched the initial steps of Dumbledore's plan.

Ron's surprise was evident when Harry had first told him he planned to propose to Hermione. Though things had not worked out between Ron and Hermione romantically, Ron was fiercely protective of her and expressed his concern over the consequences of them marrying now. Harry confessed his reasons to Ron and whatever doubts Ron might still have had after that he never mentioned them again. Even Draco had asked him about his timing when they had gone to buy the engagement ring for Hermione.

Following their search through several shops in Diagon Alley for the perfect ring, Draco finally brought Harry to the most exclusive jeweler in London. As they entered the shop, Harry felt intimidated by the surroundings and left it to Draco to take the lead. Malfoy was in his element. All the saleswizards waited on him hand and foot and were quick to remove all the diamond rings from within their glass enclosures. As Harry examined them all, Draco stood back and watched him.

"What am I looking for here, Draco?" he asked when all the rings started to look the same. Draco sighed loudly as he moved beside Harry and looked down at the rings.

Malfoy examined the selection briefly before answering, "She looks best in silver and she should have a solitary diamond in a round starburst cut. Perhaps a single carat would suit both your simple tastes." He pointed at a few rings for the saleswizard to take away. Harry was impressed by Draco's knowledge and even more impressed that he suggested silver as Hermione was not partial to yellow gold.

"Remove all the white gold rings as well. Leave only the platinum and unicorn silver solitaires," Draco instructed the saleswizard.

This left Harry with only three to choose from and he didn't hesitate because one of the rings stood out immediately. As Draco had suggested, the starburst diamond glittered magnificently in its high setting on a slender band of unicorn silver. Harry knew at once that it would suit Hermione's slender fingers perfectly. Malfoy told the woman to bring the ring to the back for cleaning while they waited. He explained to Harry that the ring would not have to be sized as it would magically conform to the hand that it was intended for.

"Draco, I really appreciate your helping me out with this," Harry said once they were left alone.

"I read Dumbledore's plan last night, Potter. Did you read it through carefully?" Malfoy interjected without acknowledging Harry's thanks. He was moving along the display cases pausing to look at a beautiful broach here or a set of stunning earrings there.

"Of course I read it." Frowning, Harry followed Malfoy. "It's all about me after all."

"Potter, as much as none of this is really my business, do you think that making Granger your wife at this time is the best idea?" He stopped to look at Harry who looked back at him, surprised that Malfoy even cared to ask.

"I know what I'm doing, Draco, but thanks for asking," Harry firmly replied. He had already gone through it with Ron and had certainly spent countless hours contemplating the issue himself. At Draco's direct questioning he felt uncomfortable and didn't want to explain it all to him as well.

He always meant to ask Hermione to marry him, since the day they graduated, but his work as an Auror and the shadow of the prophecy that hung over his head kept him from making that commitment to her. He convinced himself that it wasn't fair to make her his wife since he was destined to face Voldemort in a life-or-death situation. Moreover he knew that even if he were able to defeat the Dark Lord there was no guarantee that he would survive the encounter. Hermione would be left the grieving widow and Harry refused to put her through that. However, now that the time of confrontation was looming, Harry had changed his mind.

For once in his life, Harry decided that he was going to do something selfish. He wanted to do something that was just for him and didn't have to do with the fate of wizards and Muggles around the world. Marrying Hermione had nothing to do with being the hero. He simply wanted to know that if he came back from defeating the Dark Lord, Hermione would be here waiting for him.

He could feel Hermione's glare through the paper he was pretending to read. He set it aside and looked down at her. "Hermione, let's not talk about this now please. Maybe, once things start happening I can tell you what's going on but we're still in the planning stages and nothing has been set in stone yet."

He didn't want to lie to her outright but this definitely was not the time to talk about the affairs of the Auror Department. Dumbledore's plan had already been set in motion which gave Harry about six months with Hermione before he had to embark on the most important last step, a step that Harry alone would execute.

"Why don't we talk about our wedding? Haven't you dreamed of having the big fancy ceremony with the big fancy dress?" He gave her his most charming smile as he made an effort to change the topic.

At once Hermione's eyes lit up at the talk of their wedding. "Oh, Harry, you know I just want a small elegant affair with close friends."

The tension between them dissipated as they talked about their wedding. They made plans to announce their engagement at their New Year's Eve party and agreed to tell Ron and Ginny beforehand as they wanted them to stand as witnesses for them. Harry suggested a June wedding which didn't give them a lot of time to spend as a married couple but she might become suspicious if he tried to suggest an earlier date for the wedding.

It was to Harry's relief that Hermione had let him off the hook about his job, but he dreaded that the topic would come up again, and he was running out of time to keep making excuses.


	5. Chapter 5

**DISCLAIMER:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Author notes:** To Toasterlicious, my beautiful beta – you're a doll and I thank you for being so good to me!  
If you read please don't hesitate to review! Hope you enjoy this chapter. L :D

Wicked Deception  
Chapter Five

The two weeks before Christmas passed quickly as Harry continued to work long hours and Hermione kept busy with her own work, preparing for Christmas and planning their New Year's party and upcoming wedding. Ginny helped her with the party plans and brought her magazines and idea books for the wedding. A couple of times they even stepped into a couple of shops to try on some wedding dresses, but nothing they had seen had struck Hermione as _the_ dress.

The day before Christmas, as Hermione did some last minute shopping, she happened to pass a store displaying some dresses that caught her eye. She stepped into the boutique and automatically regretted doing so as the surroundings looked to be well above her price level. As she turned to leave the shop her eyes settled on a dress modeled by a moving dummy in the center of the store. She walked towards it and gazed at the simplicity of the lines and the fine detailing on the bodice and skirt. It suited Hermione's simple but elegant taste. She just had to try it on.

Modeling the dress herself as she stood in front of the mirror, she knew that she could not leave the store without it. It was sleeveless, perfect for a June wedding and was simple enough for a small ceremony. The dress fit her curves but was modest and classic. It showed only a bare hint of the tops of her breasts but exposed her long, lithe arms. The saleswizard was off looking for a pair of elbow-length gloves and left Hermione by herself.

As she twirled before the mirror she caught a glint of silver. She stopped and looked up to see Draco looking at her reflection. A high-pitched exclamation came from Hermione as she turned to look at him. "Draco! You scared me! What on earth are you doing here?" She was flustered and trembling from the fright he gave her and she wasn't all too happy to find him before her again unannounced.

He gazed at her coolly and drawled, "I might ask you the same question, Granger."

Hermione had not thought of Draco since the night at the dance club. She had been so busy and she hadn't had the opportunity to run into him either at work or out and about. As he neither made any additional appearances nor contacted her in any way, their encounters had simply been pushed to the back of her mind. Now that he was before her again, Hermione felt a sense of foreboding as he coldly stared her down. She held up her left hand and pointed to her new ring. "I thought you'd heard by now. Harry asked me to marry him," she smiled softly.

Malfoy didn't return her smile but moved towards her and took her hand to gaze at the ring. "Potter seems to have good taste in something then, doesn't he? It suits you." He released her hand but didn't move away.

She shifted uncomfortably in front of him as he continued to stare at her. "So are you ready for Christmas?" she stammered, not knowing what else to say, but feeling mighty foolish for having asked it.

He looked directly into her eyes and she remembered the hypnotic effect of the startling silver orbs. At once the memories of his hands and his lips flooded into her head and she stepped back from him, her knees giving a little as she moved.

"I've been waiting for you," he stated.

His arrogance immediately angered her and she retorted, "Malfoy, I'm getting married in six months! You can quit your little game because I refuse to play anymore!" She was pleased her voice sounded firm and resolute though butterflies still fluttered in her stomach. She turned back towards the mirror and smoothed her skirt. Glancing down at her ring as she did so, she took strength from the thought of Harry.

She felt him move directly behind her and could feel him against her back, his closeness bringing his heady scent to her nose again. Hermione closed her eyes so she couldn't see their reflections in the mirror but she felt his lips at her ear as he whispered, "If you don't come to me, I will come to you." He traced his finger lightly along the ridges of her spine exposed in her backless dress and goose pimples exploded over the tops of her arms. She felt him place a kiss on her shoulder, his lips cool on her skin, and she nearly swooned at the tenderness of it. He stepped back from her and she opened her eyes slowly to see him reflected behind her. He locked his eyes on hers for what seemed an eternity before he disapparated with a soft pop.

Hermione's concern was evident on her face as the saleswizard came back with some gloves. "Oh dear, you don't like the dress?"

_Curse Potter_, Draco thought. _He obviously didn't tell Granger that I helped to buy her engagement ring or she would have mentioned it._ When he looked at Hermione in what was sure to be her wedding dress he felt a touch of that old jealousy he hadn't known since his Hogwarts days.

He had hoped that she would come to him not long after their tryst in the night club. For the past two weeks he had thought of her every night and pictured her coming to him and allowing him to do to her what he would. Over this time he had sufficiently agitated himself to near insanity with thoughts of her smell, her hair and her body. He remembered her soft exclamations as he kissed her neck or nipped at her breasts and his desire for her intensified as he thought of her body's tiny tremors when he touched her or whispered into her ear.

After two weeks of highly sexual fantasies and no sign of Hermione, he was extraordinarily frustrated and astonished that she could resist him for so long. He had never had to wait for any woman to desire him and was used to having them fall at his feet with a single gesture. Reluctantly he had to admire her for her resolve, but took it upon himself to regard Granger as a challenge that he could not back down from. No woman had ever resisted his charms and he was damned if a simple Muggle-born was going to be the one to do it. He certainly had a reputation to protect but his ultimate goal was to finally take her only after she came to him begging for it. He vowed to exert his every effort to drive her crazy with desire so she would want him as much as he wanted her.

Christmas came and went in a blur and Hermione again quickly pushed from her mind the meeting with Malfoy at the dress boutique. She and Harry joined Ron, Ginny and the entire Weasley family at the Burrow. After Hermione's parents, they were the first to find out about their engagement and there were many happy tears and congratulations all around as well as one or two comments of "Well, it's about time!" Both Ron and Ginny were pleased to have been asked to stand witness for them.

After many gift openings, days of snow fights, lazing about the Burrow and lots of eggnog and fruitcake later, Hermione and Harry said their goodbyes and packed their discreetly-charmed Muggle car to return to London and prepare for their own New Year's Eve party.

They were expecting quite a few people and wanted to make sure they had enough to eat and drink as they were celebrating their engagement and the New Year. They laughed and talked as they did their shopping together. As they strolled down one of the aisles in the store there was a lull in their conversation and Harry stopped and looked at Hermione. "Are you sure you want to marry me?" he asked her outright.

"Harry, how could you ask me that? Of course I want to marry you. I love you," she smiled adoringly at him. Then she had a quick thought and added, "Are you sure you want to marry me?"

He walked over to her and gathered her in his arms. "It's the one thing I absolutely want, Hermione." He set his lips on hers and kissed her deeply.

The party was roaring by the time ten o'clock rolled around New Year's Eve. Many of their closest classmates had come and Harry had invited some of the faculty from Hogwarts and the people he worked with. Hermione invited her colleagues and was pleased that many of them could attend. It was a special night and both Harry and Hermione glowed with the knowledge that they would be announcing to all their friends that they were going to be married. Hermione noted Draco's absence with relief, but wondered why he had not come, as surely Harry would have invited all the Aurors.

Someone had brought out the New Year's favors early as sparkling confetti drifted here and there throughout the rooms. Harry and Hermione roamed the house making sure everyone was well-fed and always had drinks in hand. Ginny had been placed in charge of music and cornered the living room with her newest DJ boyfriend who was spinning some crazy dance beats. They even brought their own light show and a disco ball hovered above the heads of their dancing guests. The atmosphere was a little more subdued in the den and most of the faculty and some of their older colleagues from work congregated there.

As she mingled and moved between groups of her guests, Hermione glanced across the room and caught Harry's eyes. She smiled lovingly at him and waved. He returned her smile and mouthed, _I love you_, through the throng of guests. At this small gesture she felt her knees weaken. She marveled that she still reacted to him in this way. Harry returned to his conversation, but she continued to stare at him. In a flash she thought back to her last year at Hogwarts.

They had endured the inevitable dangerous adventure of life and death, Harry versus Voldemort, but an unexpected event occurred which changed her life forever. She had fallen in love with her hero, her protector, her best friend and Harry had fallen in love with her.

It made her smile now to think of how it happened and it wasn't anything remotely spectacular. The friendship they shared over six years of the most turbulent times of their lives had merely evolved into this deeply emotional bond between them. They simply belonged together and they both realized it over a pitcher of pumpkin juice at the breakfast table on one of the last bright, sunny days of winter. She remembered clearly looking into Harry's clear, emerald eyes and catching a glimpse of complete understanding. Neither of them could deny the future they would have together. From that moment her love for Harry had been boundless and now she was going to be Mrs. Harry James Potter.

She was roused from her memory as she saw Harry motion to her to start gathering all the guests into the living room to countdown the New Year and make their announcement. As their guests filtered into the room it magically grew to accommodate them all. Harry placed his hand on the small of her back to lead her to the front of the crowd. It was fifteen minutes to midnight and Harry took his wand from his pocket, pointed to his throat and performed the Sonorous spell.

"Ladies and gentleman, friends and family," he began and he took Hermione's hand in his and squeezed it gently, "We want to thank you all for coming to celebrate New Year's Eve with us. We all expect great things to happen in the New Year and to start things off right, we have an announcement to make to you all." He looked around the room creating a brief pause and everyone remained silent so he could continue.

"I've asked Hermione to marry me, and she's said yes!" Harry finished. There was a huge eruption in the crowd as everyone yelled their congratulations, clapped their hands and shouted out well wishes.

Harry undid the spell on his voice and bent down close to Hermione. "Well, it looks like everyone believes you would make a great Mrs. Harry Potter."

In the corner of the room Ginny started to countdown the New Year. Hermione handed Harry a drink and she toasted, "Here's to a fantastic year for both of us."

When Harry bent down to kiss her Hermione did not notice the anxious look that skimmed across his face as he kissed her.

New Year's Day started early for Hermione. Dawn light was filtering through the window as her eyes flickered open. She had awakened from a dream that had her heart racing. In her dream, invisible hands and lips assailed her body with expert touches and kisses that made her quiver. The smell of cinnamon wafted through her dream and she thought instantly of Draco. She had moaned softly and that's what had awakened her.

She glanced to the pillow beside her and saw Harry deep asleep. She felt a stab of guilt at having been dreaming of Malfoy but she smiled at Harry's sleeping face, tousled his hair and slowly rolled over onto her other side to avoid waking him. Her smile quickly left her face as her eyes widened in fear and a hand clamped over her mouth.

Malfoy looked down at her, held a finger to his lips in a gesture of silence and whispered, "You'll wake him." Removing his hand from her mouth he got up off the bed and pulled Hermione up with him. He strode silently towards the door and turned into the hallway.

Glancing back at Harry to make sure he was still asleep, she threw on a robe over her slip and left to follow Draco. She saw him disappear into a room at the end of the hall leaving the door wide open behind him. She followed him slowly since her legs felt weak from the sudden fear she had just experienced and she had not recovered fully from her erotic dream of Draco. Regardless, she felt a rage begin to burn in her belly as she thought of Malfoy's audacity to Apparate here.

As she walked down the hall, Hermione thought it unlucky that no one from the party had stayed the night. Surely Draco would not have come if there was anyone else in the house. Then again, his arrogance at turning up in Harry's bedroom while they slept astounded her and she reckoned he would have come nonetheless. She was further infuriated for even dreaming of him at all. She quickened her step towards the door Malfoy had walked through, and when she stepped into the room, Draco was sitting on the bed, waiting for her. She swiftly closed the door behind her.

"Malfoy, get out of my house! You have some nerve showing up here." She was enraged and her hands balled into fists as she had a clear vision of slapping Draco where he sat. Hermione was now properly livid and her entire body shook with her anger.

He looked at her and calmly said, "I told you that if you did not come to me, I would come to you. You see how unsuitable it is for you that I come here."

Hermione gazed furiously at him. "That's enough, Malfoy! I love Harry and since it seems to make a difference to you, my body also belongs to him," she hissed.

With the grace of a cat he leapt off the bed towards her, grabbed her wrist and threw her onto the bed. He straddled her legs, gave a fleeting look at her black slip, and then set his hands on either side of her head as he bent down to her.

"I know that's what you think but I was watching you sleep. Tell me! What was it you were dreaming about?" he asked her slyly.

Her eyes widened at his question. Appalled, she started beating her fists against his chest. "Did you touch me while I was sleeping?"

He grabbed her arms and moved them to her sides shifting his weight so his knees trapped her arms as he straddled her again. She gasped in fear at being held helpless.

He gripped her arms and whispered harshly, "Don't mistake me, Granger. I don't plan to force myself on you. You know that I want you to come to me willingly. From now on though, every time I have to come to you I will ravage you to your very breaking point. Your single need will be to find that final release that you can only get from me."

Hermione was stunned at Malfoy's words. She looked into his eyes and saw a crazy intensity burning in his pupils. She then felt a hot current run the course of her spine to her pelvis as she realized the intensity in his eyes stemmed from his deep desire to have her, here and now. It colored his cheeks and his lips blazed red. His body radiated a heat that warmed the room and burned where he touched her. Her own anger dissipated into confusion and fear. Malfoy's heated desire was clouding her resolve to spurn him and that resolve was quickly melting into a matching desire for him. She was afraid she would give in to him.

As she stared at him she could see him reign in his desire and the fire diminished behind his gaze. His hands loosened their grip but his hold on her remained strong. He now exuded control as his eyes bore into her very soul.

"Do not keep me waiting or I will make you sorry for it." He rose off her stepping onto the floor. Without another glance back at her he was gone.

His heart was racing as he returned to his bedroom. He had never lost control of himself like that in his entire life and he was shocked at what he had done. He had very nearly taken her right there in Potter's house with Harry sleeping just down the hall.

He didn't know what he had in mind when he went to see her, only that he needed to touch her again. Another week had passed and still Hermione had not come to him. She did not seem to think of him at all, but she had persisted in his thoughts and in his dreams. Harry had invited him to their New Year's party, but he declined the invitation not wanting to mingle with Harry's friends, most of whom disliked him anyway. His only regret was that he would not see Hermione.

He instead found himself at a party hosted by a former lover which, after the New Year had begun, descended quickly into a drunken debauchery of sex. He wondered why he had bothered to go to the party as he didn't know anyone well and liked everyone even less. Yet he stayed and watched some of the spectacle but did not participate himself. Throughout the night his mind wandered to Hermione and every activity he witnessed fed his yearning for her. By the time dawn approached, he had to see her.

He Apparated to their living room and listened for signs of movement in case anyone was awake in the house. He crept to the bedroom and looked in through the door. They were both still asleep but the sight of Hermione as she lay in sleep staggered him. She lay sprawled on her back, her slip exposing her arms and her legs and left nothing to the imagination of the curves, peaks and valleys of the rest of her body. It took all his strength not to Apparate them both out of there so he could bury himself deep within her. He walked towards the bed careful not to make a sound and cast a quick glance at Harry who snored peacefully on.

His pulse quickened as he sank softly on the bed beside her and reached out to touch her neck. She didn't move. He bent to kiss the spot his fingers had touched and he felt her heat rage across his lips. His fingers trailed down her body between her breasts and he laid his hand flat on her stomach. He kissed again her neck and then lightly her lips. His hands smoothed over the tops of her thighs and traveled slowly behind her knees, down the length of her slender calves and over the tops of her feet. His lips touched her earlobes and he breathed out slowly. Moving his head back down to her neck he breathed in her scent and kissed her again. Hermione turned towards Harry and moaned softly. Draco's desire heightened as he heard it and he ached to touch her again.

Suddenly she was turning towards him and he quickly covered her mouth with his hand so she wouldn't scream out when she saw him. "You'll wake him." He gestured toward Harry, silencing her. He moved to another room and she followed him.

She railed at him for having the nerve to come to her like this and as she balled her hands into fists, her fury sent his body and mind over the edge. The weeks of obsessing about her and then the arousal that burned up in him as she raged her ire at him was too much. He had pinned her to the bed before he knew what he was doing. The words were spilling out of his mouth and he could barely contain the desire that welled up in him as he sat atop her. He caught a glint of something in her eyes and realized what he was doing. He breathed slowly calming the beating of his heart and he loosened his grip on her arms.

Now that he was back in his room he thought through the words he had said to her. He meant everything he said and only regretted the voracity at which he delivered them. Yet there had been a spark of something in her eyes as he straddled her and he could have sworn that what he saw was a mutual desire for him. That was what had brought him back to himself before he could do anything foolish.

He breathed deeply and wondered which one of them would break down first.


	6. Chapter 6

**DISCLAIMER:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Author notes:** Many many thanks to my beta jaffa75 because she's awesome and I adore her so! Please review and let me know what you think.

Wicked Deception  
Chapter Six

After New Year's Day, Draco visited Hermione every day for the next four weeks. He would bend her over her desk at work, or catch her in secluded hallways around the Ministry. Sometimes he would show up in her kitchen when she was waiting for Harry to come home from work. Other times she only felt his steady gaze on the back of her head as he watched her shopping or running errands. The days melded together in a tangle of kisses, touches, and caresses. Sometimes he was gentle and other times he seemed to pour out his frustrations on her; his touch angry and rough. Sometimes she resigned herself to his appearance, other times she tried to fight him off. Sometimes she would hungrily return his kisses but she always pulled back before she went too far. Sometimes it was Draco who pulled back when he thought things weren't proceeding on his terms. Each time, before he left her, he repeated his demand that she come to him.

Hermione's waking moments began to fill with thoughts of Draco, his touch, his kiss. She dreamed of him and had to resort to solitary means to bring herself some relief from their sordid encounters. As every day passed and she did not stop Draco from coming to her or tell anyone about their affair, the guilt grew inside her. She was getting tired of fighting him off. She had even thought once or twice of surrendering to him so he could have her on his terms and release each other of this sexual tension. Then perhaps he would leave her alone. Only her love for Harry prevented her from doing this.

Hermione was slightly relieved that Harry was working so many long hours. She feared that any time he touched her she'd only think of Malfoy, but Harry was so tired from work that he rarely made any sexual advances of his own. At the same time she wondered that if she could just release some of her sexual tension with Harry she might be able to handle Draco's advances. However, the thought of making love to Harry while she pictured Draco, just burdened her with more guilt. That would be too much for her to handle so she avoided any sexual contact with Harry.

The first Saturday in February was upon them when Harry pulled her into his embrace and asked, "Hermione, let's have lunch together! We've barely seen each other all month. Let's go skating! We haven't done that in ages."

"Harry, you know I meet with Ginny for coffee every Saturday." She hated to turn him down as she truly missed Harry but for her own sake she needed to keep her distance from him until she resolved her situation with Draco. She untangled herself from his arms and moved a little ways from him, avoiding his gaze.

Harry looked disappointed. "All right," he sighed. "I should probably be at work anyway."

Hermione wondered if she could possibly feel any guiltier.

As February progressed Hermione seemed to be able to catch her breath a little. Although she was busy with work and had started to plan out her and Harry's wedding details, Malfoy's visits became sporadic, bordering on rare. Apparently Dumbledore was making all the aurors work double time this month and Draco felt the brunt of his extra workload. Surprisingly, Harry was given a little bit of time off. It gave Hermione breathing space to take stock of her affair and to spend some much-needed and long-awaited time with her fiancé.

Harry sometimes met Hermione for lunch and they were having dinner together again. They talked about their wedding plans, they sat together and read the paper, and they even went to the movies. Hermione had truly missed Harry and enjoyed having him around again.

During lunch one day Harry asked her, "Have you found your wedding dress yet?"

Hermione was startled and frowned, "I thought I told you. I already found my gown." It disturbed her that she had forgotten to tell Harry about her dress because of her encounter with Malfoy at the boutique.

Harry smiled warmly at her, "I'll bet you look gorgeous in it." He reached over to squeeze her hand, brought it up and kissed the back. She looked at him closely and noticed that he had dark smudges under his eyes.

"How are you feeling?" she asked him, suddenly concerned that Dumbledore was working him too hard.

"I'm good actually. This extra time off I'm getting is really helping. How about you? You look tired yourself." He moved closer to her, cupped her chin with one hand and gently rubbed at the smudges beneath her eyes.

"I'm fine." She looked at him directly and buried her guilt deep down so he couldn't see it as he fixed his eyes on her.

"Hermione, Dumbledore's giving me the weekend off. Let's go away together for a couple of days," he looked at her expectantly.

She just stared at him at first and then a huge grin spread across her face. "Yes! Let's do that, Harry! We'll go somewhere and not tell anyone where we're going!"

He grinned back at her and started to rhyme off some weekend getaway ideas.

"Harry, why don't you surprise me?" she winked at him. "I'm up for any place you want to go. Just promise me you won't tell anyone where we're going. No one at all!" She pressed the point adamantly, hoping that Draco wouldn't get word of this.

"Sure, honey, I promise. I'm going to take you away somewhere romantic. You'll love it," he assured her.

Hermione felt anxious relief at the notion of going away. She thought that if she could have just one weekend alone with Harry she'd feel normal again.

Harry surprised Hermione with four days on a remote wizarding island in the Polynesians. True to his word, Harry had told no one about their plans and their rented cottage was so isolated that it felt to them they were on their own deserted island. They lazed about on the beach, chased each other in the water and spent countless hours swinging lazily on the hammock outside their cottage. It was so clichéd but she just wanted to do normal, romantic things with the man that she loved. There were times when Harry would put his hands on her in a certain way that she was reminded briefly of Draco, but each time she pushed it out of her mind. She was determined to give Harry all her attention this weekend.

It had been such a long time since Harry, someone who actually loved her, touched her and kissed her. Given the seclusion of their location, Hermione found herself easily letting go of her inhibitions. They made love under the stars, up against coconut trees and in fields of fragrant hibiscus.

By the end of the weekend she felt like herself again and wished that they could extend their holiday. Upon their return they looked fit, tan and rejuvenated. Harry mentioned several times that it was like an early honeymoon.

Were it not for the short time away she had with Harry, Hermione thought she might not have made it through March. Harry's schedule became erratic and he was gone sometimes all through the night. Draco resumed his visits also appearing at erratic times, seemingly during the breaks he was able to get from work himself.

So soon after being with Harry, she found it easy to spurn him. This angered and frustrated him and he made it clear to her that he was going to make her sorry for having left town.

Thus by the end of March, she saw less and less of Harry and more of Malfoy and she quickly found herself returning to that state of being unable to resist him.

She thought increasingly of going to Draco and letting him have his way with her but she cursed herself for even thinking of giving into him. Every visit he was now taking her to the very brink of ecstasy using only his hands and fingers and well-murmured whisperings but then would depart before she could reach that apex. She moaned and whimpered for that release but took care never to explicitly ask for it. When Draco was gone she berated herself for her behaviour. She alternately wished she could be stronger against Malfoy, that Harry was there for her and that Draco would either take what he wanted or leave her the hell alone.

In the three months since New Year's Eve, Hermione only sporadically kept her coffee dates with Ginny. On the occasions they did meet, Ginny's first question was always if she was well. Ginny had been concerned in January because Hermione seemed always lost in thought and she looked into the crowds constantly as if looking for someone. She looked over her shoulder frequently and often lost track of their conversation. Ginny was glad to hear when Hermione cancelled one weekend in February to say Harry was taking her somewhere for the weekend. She had word from Ron that Harry was working hard and thought the getaway would be good for them both. She was a little taken aback at Hermione's repeated insistence during their short conversation not to tell anyone of their plans. When Ginny saw Hermione again after her weekend away, her concern vanished as she remarked at how terrific Hermione looked. She appeared to be the same Hermione as ever and spoke animatedly of their vacation.

However as March was drawing to a close she hadn't seen Hermione much and Ginny finally got her to come out and meet for coffee. Hermione had cancelled two of the past weekends and Ginny just wanted to see that she was all right. She was alarmed at the decline in Hermione's appearance in only a few weeks. She had dark circles under her eyes and she hadn't bothered with makeup or glamour charms. Her face looked gaunt and her shirt hung loose across her thin frame. It looked like she wasn't sleeping or eating. As she sat down, Ginny quickly put her arms around her and looked into her eyes. "What's going on, Hermione?"

"I'm just tired," she smiled wanly at Ginny and then sighed, "I miss Harry."

Ginny didn't know whether to believe her and pressed her for more information. "Honey, I hate to say it but you look simply awful. This can't be just from missing Harry. Please tell me what's been bothering you."

In the short time before Hermione gave her answer Ginny could see her undergo an internal debate. The look in her eyes wavered from wistful to forlorn to helpless to guilty and then to resolute.

Hermione attempted a warm smile and said, "Thank you for asking, Ginny, but really I'm all right. You just caught me on a bad day and I feel I'm coming down with something. Don't worry about me."

Ginny nodded reluctantly but she was resigned that there wasn't any more information she could get out of her. Hermione then gave her an excuse about needing to get some rest and asked for a rain check on their coffee date. They hugged and Ginny held her a little longer than usual, wanting to tell Hermione that she could confide in her, but Hermione pulled herself away and Ginny could only watch her leave the café. As Hermione left, she looked inquiringly into the crowd before she headed off into it.

Ginny immediately pulled out a quill and some parchment and wrote a quick note to Harry to drop what he was doing and make sure Hermione was all right.

Draco sat in his study at Malfoy Manor. He was oblivious to all the tasteful furnishings surrounding him as he had only one thing on his mind. He was thinking of Hermione and of what he was doing to her. At first it had really just been a game, but now he had waited for three and a half months for her to stop resisting him and come to him of her own free will. He admired her for her willpower but he knew he was close to breaking her down. She didn't stop him touching and kissing her and hadn't told him to stop seeing her in weeks.

More and more he could feel her press against him wanting more but he knew that she still held back and so continued to visit her day after day. He was wearing down as well though. His control was waning and he would find himself so overcome with his desire for her that he would need to get away before he gave in to taking her. He was utterly surprised that both of them held out for this long, and he could see the effect it was having on her. She had grown thinner in the last three months and she looked tired; dark smudges underlining her eyes. He wondered briefly if Potter even noticed what was going on with his fiancée.

Regardless of Harry Potter, Draco still wanted her. As he sat looking into the fire he figured he would give Granger ten more minutes to come to him then he was going to her. He still held on to the belief that she would appear on his doorstep begging for him. Just then an owl swooped in through the window and dropped a piece of parchment in his lap.

_Draco,_

_Come to the house as soon as you can._

_Harry_

Draco immediately stood up from his chair and walked towards the door. He picked up his cloak from a chair beside the door and Apparated away.

"She's sick." He paced before his fireplace, wringing his hands, a genuine look of concern on his face. His voice was low so his words would not carry upstairs to the bedroom. "She's sleeping now."

Malfoy didn't say anything and looked at Harry, a little alarmed but curious as to why he would call Draco to tell him that Hermione was sick. Draco wondered if she had told Harry about them but Potter only seemed agitated about her health and didn't seem to be angry. He watched expectantly as Harry paced before him.

Harry stopped suddenly and turned to Draco, "Do you think she knows about Dumbledore's plans?"

Malfoy slowly let out a breath of relief and said, "Don't be ridiculous, Potter. Only the Aurors know about it and they wouldn't tell a soul. Not unless they wanted the whole thing to fall apart before we send you out."

He watched as Harry first nodded his agreement then furrowed his brow once more. "She looks as if she's been up for days. And I don't think she's been eating." He continued to pace.

Draco smiled inwardly and thought to himself that she would indeed be the first to break down, but as he looked at Harry he felt a slight gnawing in his stomach. _This cannot be guilt that I'm feeling_, he told himself.

He quickly dismissed the thought and said to Harry, "Perhaps she's having second thoughts about marrying you, Potter." He privately cringed at his own cruelty but outwardly gave Harry his most sinister smirk.

"Don't think I haven't thought about that, Draco." Harry sat in his armchair in front of the fire and buried his head in his hands. He mumbled from out of his hands, "I haven't been around for her lately and it will be even worse when I have to leave for good."

Harry was silent but Draco made no attempt to comment on this statement. He was somewhat stunned that Harry had so readily agreed with his cruel statement. The crackling of the fire filled the room.

"Draco, I need to ask another favour of you." Harry looked up at Malfoy and this time he wore a grave look upon his face.

As the night wore on, Harry and Draco discussed Harry's request.

"I think I made a big mistake asking her to marry me." Harry sat deflated in his chair, more than a little tipsy. Malfoy was pouring them drinks and knew that Harry already had one too many.

Harry kept speaking, not caring whether Draco was even listening to him anymore, "I wanted this for myself, you see. I shouldn't have proposed, it was stupid of me, and now I'll have hurt her more than if she had just become an Auror herself. I tried to protect her by asking Dumbledore to deny her becoming one. She was disappointed but I think she accepted it. But this? She won't understand why I lied to her or couldn't tell her what was going on. And it kills me that I'm simply making her my wife so that she'll be here when I come back. Argh! ..._if_ I come back!" He ran his hands through his hair, not helping the already unruly mess. He continued, "I've wanted to marry her since the day we left Hogwarts but I couldn't put her through that then. And I ask myself that I can put her through it now? What a bastard I am."

He was rambling but Malfoy again made no attempt to comment. Now he understood why Harry had proposed at such an inappropriate time. It amused him that Harry was incapable of relishing his single selfish act.

"Why are you smiling, Malfoy?" Harry slurred.

"I was just noticing that the great Harry Potter is actually human," he drawled.

Harry gave Draco a brief smirk then asked, "So given all our musings so far tonight, how am I going to leave the one person I care about most in the world without hurting her any more than I absolutely have to?"

"Well, Potter, again you've come to the right person for help. I think I have a plan for you." Harry perked up his head, interested in what Draco had to suggest.

"Potter, whatever you do, Granger is going to be hurt but my plan minimizes that pain and I can guarantee that she'll still be here for you when you get back."

Malfoy's eyes sparkled and he was amazed at his cunning for having thought of it, truly worthy of a Slytherin, and he wondered whether it would work. If it did pan out, Harry would get what he wanted, Hermione safe and well if he ever returned, and Draco would possibly end up with that which he had been waiting for the past three months. He started to relate the details of his plan to Harry.


	7. Chapter 7

**DISCLAIMER:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Author notes:** Great big smooches and thanks to my beta jaffa75.  
Please review and let me know what you think. Even if it's just to say, "That's the Plan?"

Wicked Deception  
Chapter Seven

Even though Harry was a little drunk he looked at Draco incredulously. "That's your plan? I can't do that to her. What makes you think that the pain of my death now will be any less than learning of it later? And a lie as big as that would only make her hate me more!"

Draco calmly explained, "Potter, if she thought you were dead then she wouldn't do anything foolish like follow you when you have to leave."

Harry started to contradict this but shut his mouth and followed Draco's reasoning. He hit his palm against his forehead. Of course, she would follow him into any danger he happened into. Throughout school Hermione and Ron had plunged headlong after him into any adventure. However, Ron was now an Auror and he knew that what Harry was destined to do, he had to do it alone. Only Hermione would never understand that she couldn't go with him. And if he made her his wife that was all the more reason she would take it upon herself to follow him.

But not if she thought he was dead.

He hated the thought of Hermione believing he was dead but she wouldn't be any worse off if he didn't return from his battle with Voldemort. In addition, part of Draco's plan was his promise to care for Hermione himself so that if Harry was victorious and survived the ordeal, then Hermione would be there for him when he returned.

It all made sense. Draco had plenty of space to accommodate Hermione at the Manor and she would be wealthy beyond words, inheriting from Harry with Malfoy agreeing to supplement Harry's small fortune. Draco had also pointed out that the wards available at the Manor to protect Hermione were second to none. They would only need Dumbledore's approval to go ahead.

"Harry, are you down there?" a voice called from the top of the stairs.

Hermione was feeling a little better, having just woken up from several hours of deep sleep, void of any dreams or Draco's face dancing in her head. She had fallen asleep at eleven the previous morning and it was now three in the morning.

She was feeling very hungry. As she made her way to the kitchen to fix herself something to eat she heard voices drifting up from the den. She called down to see if Harry was doing some work from home.

Hermione was overjoyed to see Harry turn the corner and come up to her on the stairs. He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed as if he would never let her go. At first it was almost suffocating, then she returned the hug tightly and buried her face into his shoulder. She hadn't felt this safe in a while. They stayed in this embrace for a time before Harry pulled back and looked down at Hermione's face. She felt warm under his gaze and realized just how much she missed him. Tears started to well up in her eyes and Harry pulled her close again.

He whispered into her hair, "Please don't cry. Are you feeling better?" Again he pulled away but took her hand and led her to the couch. "I've been home all afternoon and night so that I would be here when you woke up. Ginny gave me a bit of a fright when her owl delivered me her note."

Hermione looked aghast at this news but Harry continued, "She said you looked terribly ill and had cancelled your visit for the third time in a row. When I saw you in bed I realized that I've been neglecting you." His fingers brushed the hair from her face and lifted her chin so he could look full upon her face. "You look tired and thin. Please tell me what's been bothering you."

Hermione looked into his eyes and everything she and Draco had done in the past three months faded from her mind as she thought only of Harry. She snuggled against him and buried her head into his chest. Her arms wrapped around behind him and she sat there for several minutes before she said, "Harry, I've just really missed you."

Deep concern set across Harry's face as he placed a kiss on the top of her head. "Hermione, I've missed you too." He turned his head and glanced down the stairs and saw Draco staring at the two of them. From the foot of the stairs, Malfoy cocked an eyebrow at him. Harry nodded slightly then saw him walk back towards the den. He barely heard the soft pop as Draco Disapparated. Harry knew that he was off to get Dumbledore's approval for the plan.

As Minister for Magic, Albus Dumbledore was able to model his Ministry office exactly like the office he had kept when he was Headmaster at Hogwarts. The same books lined the shelves around the circular walls and all the instruments from his old office sat in the same places here. Only the portraits that graced the walls and the view from his windows were different. Fawkes' perch stood close to his desk and the phoenix, resplendent in his colours of crimson and gold, sat quietly on it.

Upon becoming the High Minister, his very first duty had been to incorporate the members of the Order of the Phoenix into the Auror Department at the Ministry. There was no longer any reason for the Order to remain secretive as no one could deny that Voldemort had risen to power again. Dumbledore himself now supervised the training of the Aurors to repair the damage caused by Voldemort and his minions and to help bring about the demise of the Dark Lord.

It was one of these Aurors that brought Dumbledore to his office so early in the morning. Upon his desk was a message he had received late last night requesting a meeting between himself and Draco Malfoy as early as Dumbledore could arrange it. So he waited for him at the break of day, curious as to the nature of Draco's request.

As he waited, Dumbledore thought back upon the histories of Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter. Every one of his Aurors had studied at Hogwarts during his term as Headmaster but it was only Harry and Draco that had given him cause for concern during their tenure at the school. Dumbledore had known from the beginning that both would grow to be powerful wizards and he had worried about their futures upon graduation.

With the proper support, supervision and the assistance of Professor Snape, Dumbledore could only have hoped to keep Draco from the same path his father, Lucius, had tread. When it happened that only hatred tied Harry and Draco to each other from the very first day they met, the young Malfoy seemed destined to follow his father's footsteps, playing villain to Harry's hero. As the years wore on and every effort had been expended to steer both their futures, it wasn't until the boys' seventh year that Lucius was sent to Azkaban permanently.

Both Dumbledore and Severus were overjoyed that Draco had not been initiated and marked as a Death Eater before this occurred. Draco was then able to make his own decisions regarding his future and Dumbledore did everything he could to welcome him into their fold, relying on Professor Snape to be his liaison. In the short course of the year, Draco made important choices that brought honour to the Malfoy name without resorting to the evil and wickedness that Lucius had lived by.

To Dumbledore, Harry's future had been as equally uncertain as Draco's future. Without a doubt, Harry was destined for great things. The prophecy that was made before he was born and his survival when he was only a baby had surely set him on that path. Yet whether Harry was destined to rid the world forever of the evil that Voldemort personified or whether he was destined to become the Dark Lord himself should he defeat Voldemort was not so evident.

Since Harry was left in the care of his Muggle relatives he was subjected to negative influences every year of his life. His family life was void of any love or respect and Harry could at any time have easily been swayed to evil, making him an easy target to become a devotee of the Dark Lord. Dumbledore's decision to leave Harry with the Dursleys was a hard one to make, but he believed the choice he made ensured Harry's safety. His only regret was that he could not know how the Dursley family dynamic would affect Harry.

Dumbledore's concern for Harry's fate increased exponentially in his fifth and sixth years at Hogwarts. Harry's attitude and the choices he made in these tumultuous years were worrisome, and he was often angry and volatile as he struggled with his teenage emotions and came to terms with who he was and the inevitability of his part in the final battle.

The biggest blow to Harry's self-confidence came with the death of his godfather Sirius Black. Dumbledore struggled handling Harry's situation, as he wanted to protect him from what was to come, but at the same time keep his distance to allow Harry the freedom to make his own decisions. It was with intense anxiety that he waited to see the wizard Harry would become and if he would even survive to his graduation. Were it not for Harry's innate goodness and the guidance of his best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, Dumbledore wondered what the world would be like now.

A knock at the large oak door disrupted Dumbledore's musings and when Draco Malfoy entered the office he wasted no time with pleasantries. "Master Dumbledore, I've come to discuss a proposal Potter and I have devised to append to your current plan against the Dark Lord."

Dumbledore nodded and listened intently while Draco reported on the steps of their plan. He even provided a parchment for Dumbledore to peruse as Malfoy outlined their idea.

When Draco finished and sat expectantly, Dumbledore contemplated the benefits and risks of their plan. Out of Mr. Potter's tight-knit trio, Mister Weasley would not present a problem to the plan because he was a trained Auror and could be relied upon to allow Harry to carry out his dangerous tasks without interference. It was Miss Granger that posed the weak link in Dumbledore's entire plan and she was Harry's weak link as well. Not only was she untrained but she had also been kept clueless about the plans that were already set in motion.

Albus blamed himself for her ignorance and thus her safety. Thinking back again, Dumbledore remembered Harry's pleas that Hermione be kept from becoming an Auror upon their graduation. He had decided to defer to Harry and grant his request.

It had then become an ongoing concern that Hermione be protected and so the Aurors did everything in their power to provide protections and wards to surround her, her place of work and the house in which she and Harry lived. In spite of these protections however, she would always be in danger and in Harry's absence she was even more vulnerable.

Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Potter now brought to him a plan that might solve this entire problem for him. And yet, he felt he was being asked again to approve something against his better judgment and which again pertained to the future of Miss Granger.

Their plan held merit, but it also carried its own risks.

"I'm sure I don't need to tell you how Miss Granger will feel about this deception when she discovers the truth. Mr. Potter understands this as well?" Dumbledore eyed the young man before him over his half-moon spectacles.

Draco nodded solemnly and answered, "Yes, sir, we understand the risks. Granger is Potter's main concern and he's willing to face any consequences resulting in our actions."

Albus knew at this point that the young men had already resolved themselves to carry out this plan, and there was nothing that he could do to dissuade them from it. He at least appreciated that they had brought their idea to him, if only to ensure that it would fit in with the rest of his plan.

"Voldemort will wreak havoc on both the Wizarding and Muggle communities at the news of Harry's death. The Aurors must be prepared to hold back any major attacks until Harry can accomplish his tasks," he instructed Draco.

"Sir, we will update the group and ensure they are prepared," Draco replied.

He slowly nodded and gave his approval to Draco to proceed with their arrangements and wondered, not for the first time, how this was all going to end.

Harry stayed with Hermione the entire day. He cooked for her and they sat together at the breakfast nook, eating and talking. He touched her as often as he could. He looked at each of her features carefully, thoroughly memorizing every detail about her.

Harry felt he owed her as much time as he could give her. She was going to go through a lot worse in a couple of months, the time that both he and Draco agreed to execute their plan. Malfoy had presented his plan to Dumbledore then sent an owl at once to let Harry know that they were permitted to proceed. Dumbledore was going to leave it to him and Draco to carry out the necessary steps that would ensure Hermione's safety.

The only part of the plan they did not agree upon was the timing of Harry's 'death'. Malfoy thought it should be before their wedding so she wasn't grieving for him as his widow so soon after being married. Though Harry was a little surprised at Draco's compassion, he selfishly pushed to make her his wife before he left. She was all that he had and he convinced himself that knowing she was his wife would make it easier for him to deal with departing and the pressure of what he was expected to do.

After more than a few owls had gone between them as they quibbled over the timing, Draco won out in the end and it was decided they would stage his death the week before the wedding. This would still give Harry as much time with Hermione as possible before his departure.

That night, Harry stayed awake to watch her sleep. When her breathing had slowed and Harry was sure she was asleep he whispered all the things he wanted for their future as if he were never leaving.

April and May passed by in a blur. Harry still had to work long hours but he checked in on Hermione often. He worried that she would make herself ill again, and he needed to spend as much time with her as he could. He also had Ginny and Ron, when he could get away from his full workload, spend time with Hermione to ensure sure she never felt lonely. The attention seemed to revive Hermione and she started to look and feel much better.

Hermione, on the other hand, was overjoyed at being able to see Harry so often, and was even more so because she had not had a single visit from Malfoy in the two months. She wondered what the Aurors were up to, since it obviously had Draco busy enough to distract him. She didn't press Harry for details and was just content to feel somewhat normal again. Hermione also had her wedding to plan.

May passed with daily outings as she and Ginny saw to flowers, photographers, cakes and caterers. It was going to be a small Muggle-traditional affair but there was much to do

When June arrived Ginny commented on how she was glad to see Hermione looking like her old self. Hermione did feel good. Dreams of Draco rarely interrupted her sleep and she was beginning to think that she had been foolish to make herself sick with worry. She was glad for Draco's absence so she could concentrate on what was going to be one of the happiest times in her life. Everything was coming together for the wedding and Harry was with her almost every day now. Harry was able to take days off at a time to help Hermione with wedding plans or just to spend time with her. Though she was pleased that Harry had so much free time from work, she worried that Malfoy would also have the time to check in on her as well. However he didn't appear and Hermione and Harry's wedding was in only two and a half weeks. She was feeling happier than she had ever been in her life.

With just over a week before the wedding Harry surprised Hermione with champagne when she entered their bedroom. He lit candles to brighten the room and then poured some of the bubbly liquid into flutes. Toasting her with a clink of the crystal, he lifted his glass and drank. Hermione followed suit, taking a small sip, but Harry gently lifted the bottom of her glass as he tipped his back and they continued to gulp down the entire contents of their glasses. She noted a slight acrid taste to her champagne and wondered briefly if it might be a little off. Looking at Harry she saw a sparkle in his eyes that brightened his already gleaming smile and Hermione was caught a little off-guard when he abruptly caught her up in his arms, bending his head to kiss her full on the mouth. He nipped at her lips playfully and when she parted them his tongue darted along her teeth and flicked at her tongue. She wasn't used to Harry being so aggressive and though she liked it, it reminded her of Draco.

As the thought of Malfoy popped into her head Harry quickly pulled away from her. She worried that she might have said Draco's name out loud but Harry looked down at her with a mischievous smile. She breathed a small sigh of relief that she hadn't done anything foolish.

"What's with you tonight, Harry?" She poked him in the ribs. He lifted her in his arms and carried her over to the bed. Laying her down, Harry fell gently beside her. "I love you, Hermione," he said to her.

She brushed the hair off his forehead to expose his lightning-bolt scar and smiled at his words. She fingered the scar lightly and had the impulse to reach up and kiss it.

Harry moved tighter to her and pressed up against the length of her body. He propped his elbow beside her head and rested his head in his hand. With his free hand he rubbed her cheek with his thumb. Staring into his eyes, she felt herself drowning in the bottomless green when Harry lowered his head and kissed her gently. An unmistakable smile played over his lips.

"Tell me you'll love me always." His lips grazed softly over hers as he spoke.

"Always..." she replied breathlessly.

As Harry pulled her to him Hermione closed her eyes and lost herself in his arms and in his kiss.

The next evening around six o'clock Hermione was humming to herself in the kitchen preparing dinner for her and Harry. He would be home soon and she wanted everything to be ready when he arrived.

Hermione paused in her bustling and thought back to the night before. She and Harry had stayed awake almost all night; exploring each other's bodies like it was the first time they had been together. They whispered together softly in each other's arms when they were sated until they both fell asleep. It had been an incredible night.

She felt herself warm all over thinking back on it and continued making dinner until she heard a familiar pop in the living room.

Hermione froze to the ground when she heard it. Draco had not come to her since the end of March and she assumed that he had simply lost interest in his little game. She waited a few seconds and thought she may have imagined it. Then she heard a faint rustling of robes in the living room and soft steps on the carpet.

Fear gripped her as she heard the footsteps. She looked around frantically for some sort of weapon she could threaten Malfoy with. If he thought he could touch her again she honestly might not hesitate to hurt him. She looked briefly at the knives on the counter and thought better of grabbing one since she didn't actually want to physically hurt Draco, even if he did deserve to have a little bit of his blood spilt. She thought of her wand but it was on the table beside the front door. In the time it would take to cast a Summoning spell the intruder would be upon her. A fleeting thought passed through her mind as she wondered why she had never tried to hex Malfoy to leave her alone.

She paused to listen and frowned because the person in the adjoining room was no longer moving. Usually Draco was upon her pretty quickly and she realized she'd never had the time to hex him before his lips and hands were on her at which point she didn't want him to stop. It was not Draco who had Apparated into her house.

In the next instant she heard more pops come from the living room. Her heart beat faster and she wished again for her wand. No one would ever Apparate directly into the house; Draco had been the only one rude enough to do it. Hermione then thought perhaps Harry was in some kind of danger and had no other choice but to come home that way. She started to creep towards the doorway and then realized that if Harry had Apparated into the living room he would already have called out to her.

Cold fear ran through her at her final thought of who might be in her house. There had always been the concern that Death Eaters would discover where Harry Potter lived and how to get past the wards that guarded his home. Yet Harry had assured her when they moved in together that the possibility was very remote and that Dumbledore and the Aurors had put so many spells on the house for their safety. No Death Eater would have been able to find the place much less be able to Apparate within it. Nonetheless, there were strangers in her house.

She reached for a knife but upon hearing several more pops in the living room knew that she was completely outnumbered.

Then she heard another sound that gripped her heart. She felt both relieved and utterly terrified at the same time. Harry's key was in the lock at the front door and he was walking right into a trap.

"Hermione, I'm home!" she heard him call up to her.

"No, Harry!" she screamed as she ran through the kitchen door brandishing her knife and she heard Harry bound up the steps.

In the room stood a group of about ten Death Eaters, all of them hooded, wands in hand. At the landing, Harry stood defensively, already holding his wand at the ready. His face was set in concentration and she could see that he was running through his possible options in his head.

Suddenly Hermione heard another pop behind her in the kitchen and she twirled quickly, pointing her knife in front of her. She was shocked to see it was Malfoy.

"Get her out of here!" Harry yelled to him from the living room.

Looking up at Draco's face she saw him give Harry a brief nod. He pushed aside the knife she still held pointed at him, clutched her arm and Disapparated, taking Hermione away with him.

"No!" she yelled as a bright light flashed in her peripheral vision and she heard Harry shout a curse before her kitchen faded around her.


	8. Chapter 8

**DISCLAIMER:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Author's Notes:** So I shouldn't even pretend that I can get these chapters out in good time. I do apologize for the delay between chapters and hope that those of you reading will bear with me. The story is in here somewhere, it just takes a little while to get it out. And with the release of HBP, this story just becomes more and more AU as it goes on. However, I didn't have any delusions that it was ever anything other than AU.

Many thanks to sinfuldraconis for the beta on this chapter. She did an excellent job! I made a few extra revisions after the beta though so any errors found here are mine.

Warning: This chapter contains angst. Lots of it.

Wicked Deception

Chapter Eight

"Draco, take me back! He's outnumbered! Harry needs our help." Hermione's face was awash in panic and fear. "We have to go back NOW!"

Malfoy gripped her shoulders and gazed at her steadily in an attempt to calm her. He spoke slowly, "The other Aurors are already there. The alarm went up as soon as the first of the Death Eaters appeared. Potter must not have heard it since he was already on his way home."

Hermione still looked fearful but the panic in her voice decreased, "Draco, I need to know he's all right. Please bring me back."

"You are not going back there. It's not safe for you. All the Aurors on duty were dispatched and are giving Harry all the help he'll need." He led her to a chair and set her down on it. Hermione calmed visibly when Draco used Harry's first name.

He knelt in front of her, took her hands in his and said, "I need to go back to see what I can do. Please stay here until I return." He paused, waiting for a reaction from her. "Promise me you'll stay put until I get back." He could see the tears welling above her bottom eyelashes and felt a slight jab of guilt.

She made a small motion as if to get up from the chair but her resigned nod told Draco that she would stay and wait for his word. Hermione looked at him with her watery eyes and silently pleaded for him to return with Harry.

When Malfoy appeared again at the Potter residence there were several Aurors performing the last of the spells to create the appearance that an intense battle had occurred. Weasley was supervising the tasks and stood at the top of the stairs to the foyer going over final details with two of the wizards. Draco surveyed the damage and noted that it looked authentic. Furnishings, books and pictures were strewn throughout the room and there were dark burns on the floor, walls and ceiling as if spells had missed their targets or rebounded off each other. He strode over to the stairs as Ron dismissed the wizards with new tasks.

"Is Hermione all right?" Ron asked, genuinely concerned about the welfare of one of his best friends. Draco noted no malice for himself in Weasley's voice and noted that when Ron was on the job he treated him as he did any of the other Aurors he worked with. One thing that could be said for Ronald Weasley was that he was the consummate professional. He took his job seriously and performed every task assigned to him to the letter. Malfoy reluctantly respected him for this and treated him likewise.

"She's worried and afraid," Draco relayed to him. "But things are going to get worse for her before they get better. We need to get back to her before she foolishly Apparates here sooner than we're done. How are things on your front?"

Ron nodded and his concern over his next task was evident on his face. "We're nearly done here. Give us another five minutes. Should I Apparate directly to Hermione or let you see her first?"

Malfoy shook his head, "You go. She'll need to hear the news from you first. It will be more logical for her and she'll believe you before she'll believe it from me."

Ron nodded his head again and set his frame firmly as if to steel himself for what Malfoy was sure was going to be the performance of his life.

"Where is Potter?" Draco continued. "Is he ready to go?"

Ron was already reviewing the final steps listed on his parchment and motioned down the stairs. "He's in the den. You'd better get him out of here."

Draco walked down the stairs noting the spell marks over the walls and ceiling as he descended. Weasley was definitely thorough.

He turned down the hall towards the den. The only light was coming from the fireplace. Harry sat before the fire slumped way down into the deep recess of his favourite armchair. He held a bottle of Ogden's Old Firewhiskey atop one of the arms of his chair.

"We have to get out of here soon," Draco spoke softly from the doorway.

Harry immediately sat up and asked, "How is she?"

"Well, Potter she is about to learn that her fiancé has been killed at the hands of several Death Eaters, a week before her wedding no less. How do you think she is?" Malfoy moved across the room and took the whiskey from Harry. He dropped into the other chair and took a swig right from the bottle.

Harry looked at Draco in surprise. He was sure Malfoy had never done such an unceremonious thing in his life. It was then that he realized the events that were about to unfold were not going to be any easier on Malfoy than they were going to be for him. Draco had been working tirelessly to ensure that this plan came together and was executed properly. Faint circles marred the pale skin under his eyes and Harry could only assume that Malfoy was also concerned about handling Hermione after the news of his death was delivered to her.

"You know, she's going to hate you for taking her away from here." Harry tried to keep his tone light despite the impending doom he felt in the pit of his stomach.

Draco nodded his head once as he looked into the fire. He took another swig and handed the bottle back to Harry.

Harry took a big mouthful from the bottle himself before asking, "Are we doing the right thing?"

"Potter, I don't think there's any backing out now." Draco's voice was so low that Harry almost couldn't hear him over the sound of the fire.

Then they sat in silence as each of them pondered their own involvement in this affair.

---

Harry wondered if they _could_ cancel the whole plan. He pictured himself running into Hermione's arms telling her that he had survived the attack and they could marry just as they had been planning for the last six months.

His happy vision however turned downright ugly as he then imagined himself telling his new wife that he was departing immediately to embark on a ridiculously dangerous mission to put a stop to Voldemort once and for all. He knew that what would follow would be stretches of crying, yelling and probably a good cursing from Hermione when she learned that he had lied to her about his work and opted to make her his wife before he went and got himself killed. In addition, she wouldn't be able to go with him or even know where he was going nor would she be able to hear from him while he was gone. And there was another little thing Harry had done that Hermione would never forgive him for once she found out but he stopped this train of thought at once. This last thought alone was good enough reason to go ahead with Malfoy's idea as planned. Harry felt extremely guilty about it but, what was done was done. There was no going back now. He only hoped that the outcome would be well received.

---

Draco marveled that anyone had considered his idea of staging Harry's death to be a good one. All the pieces had fit together and there were numerous good reasons for everything they had planned. Certainly Hermione would never put herself in danger if she thought Harry was dead and not in fact going out to get himself killed. Perhaps this was Draco's main reason for suggesting his plan in the first place. It undoubtedly was the reason both Harry and Dumbledore agreed so quickly.

Yet, on another level he had figured that with Harry dead and out of the picture, Hermione was free to be his. Ever since that first day he had accosted her, he was unable to get her out of his mind. His father would have scorned him for being so weak and it was like a knife in his gut that this would have been one of the first times in a very long time that they'd have agreed on anything. At first he had tried to convince himself that he kept coming to Hermione to get back at Potter. Harry had always had everything that Draco wanted for himself. Some of it was petty, like the Quidditch or House Cup at school, but always he had envied Harry's fame of being the Boy Who Lived, his loyal friends and the admiration he got from their classmates and faculty alike. Draco had really despised Harry most of those years at school and those old feelings had come back with his attraction to Granger.

However, thinking back years ago when his father was sent to Azkaban, and his world had turned upside-down, the only person who helped him to right it was Harry Potter. Despite Slytherin threats and Gryffindor warnings, Harry was the bigger man and befriended him. Things started to make sense for Draco. Being friends with Harry gave him an alternate future to the one his father had planned for him. He had the freedom to do what he wanted and not what his father wanted. Reluctantly he had Harry to thank for that. Malfoy gained a deep respect for him and knew what Harry had in store for him in confronting the Dark Lord. Draco agreed to become an Auror with Harry to put his knowledge of the Dark Arts to good use.

Draco logically figured that wanting Hermione had nothing to do with Harry. It was only an enormous irony that she was Harry's. Another irony was that his desire for Hermione was brought to the surface only because Harry had called him over to help him pick out an engagement ring for her. He almost laughed out loud thinking that if Harry had only asked for Draco's assistance at work or if Draco had only waited outside Harry's apartment instead of catching Hermione just out of the shower, he would never have looked upon her as anything but Potter's girlfriend.

Now things were in motion that he couldn't stop. Making Hermione desire him as he desired her was no longer tantamount at the moment. Harry had agreed that she would stay at Malfoy Manor for her protection and Draco vowed to him that he would look after her. The plan would work, even if only to ensure Hermione stayed out of danger and allow Harry to concentrate fully on his task. Draco needed to focus on the successful outcome of this plan and then he had only to wait and be patient for Hermione to be his. Harry would be gone on an extremely dangerous mission and Hermione would be grieving, left in Draco's care.

---

They had both come to the same conclusion - to proceed with the plan.

"You will take care of her?" Harry sat up straight and handed the bottle back to Draco.

Draco took the bottle but didn't drink any more. "I gave you my word."

It had been thirty minutes now since Malfoy had left her; left to herself to wonder what had happened. Had the other Aurors arrived in time to help Harry? Was Harry able to protect himself? Her mind raced at the possible outcomes. At the back of her mind she held the worst-case scenario. She did not want to think of that possibility at all. She thought instead of the people who would have been sent to assist Harry. Was Ron there fighting at his side? Would Neville be backing him up along with Tonks, Moody and Lupin? She was even grateful that Draco had gone back to help Harry. If anyone would bring Harry back to her it would be Malfoy. Despite their sexual encounters, Draco knew that she loved Harry and she knew that he had the utmost respect for Harry's abilities as a wizard and would stop at nothing to protect him as best as he could. Malfoy was a powerful wizard in his own right so she held her faith in him that he would bring Harry back to her.

As the time passed and no one had returned to check on her at all or update her with any news she began to pace. The worst cases were now beginning to come to the forefront of her thoughts. What if Harry wasn't all right? What if the Aurors had not gotten there in time? What if Harry was dead? She wrung her hands at this possibility and the tears welled in her eyes again. She didn't know what she would do if Harry was gone.

Hermione was a walking bundle of nerves and she was sensitive to every input on her senses. The lights in the room were too bright making her head feel as if it had ballooned to twice its size. Her hair hurt her scalp at the follicles and added to her light-headedness and ever-increasing ache in her head. She could taste the faint traces of bile in her throat and mouth as nausea threatened to overtake her. Hermione was starting to hyperventilate as her mind went into sensory overload.

She took a couple of deep breaths and told herself that she needed to get control of herself or she would throw up. She sat down, closed her eyes and tried to steady her breathing. She swallowed several times to keep herself from vomiting. As she calmed herself she made a conscious effort to keep it together. For her to function properly she needed to keep a rational head. That was how she had been able to survive the plethora of dangers she, Harry and Ron had come across. She breathed deeply now but her sense of foreboding turned to deep sorrow at the thought that she had never faced any dangers without Harry by her side. Large tears fell over her cheeks as she thought that the other Aurors could not possibly have gotten to Harry in time and that he could be dead at that very moment. In the next instant she became angry and furious that she had left him to fight those Death Eaters by himself. She should have remained and fought by his side and if that meant her dying too then at least Harry would not have died alone. Now she was even furious with Malfoy for taking her away from the fight and she even blamed Harry for telling Draco to get her out of there. She spilt angry tears along with tears of frustration. Her emotions were quickly boiling over again and she was afraid she would not be able to collect herself this time.

Hermione looked around the room maddened that she had heard no news of the events. She got up and paced again as she wrung her hands anxiously. If no one came to her soon she was going to back down on her word to Malfoy that she would stay put and she would go back to get Harry herself.

Ron Apparated in the hallway and observed Hermione through the window to the room she was pacing. He watched her as she wrung her hands and tugged at her hair. She stood and paced the room biting her nails, wrung her hands some more and wiped the tears that streamed down her face.

It was getting to be too long since Malfoy had left her so he needed to get in there soon before she exploded with nervous energy. He drew in a long breath and closed his eyes. As he exhaled he opened his eyes and prayed that he was convincing. Right now, the whole plan's success rested on his shoulders. He took another deep breath and opened the door to speak with Hermione.

As he opened the door Hermione spun around to see who had come in and her face became a mask of shock. Ron immediately went to her and wrapped his arms around her. He was just in time as Hermione's legs buckled under her and she collapsed into him. She cried out loud her grief as Ron held her tight to him. Tears also rolled down his face as he thought of the pain Hermione was feeling.

Ron didn't have to say anything at all to her. Hermione had hoped beyond hope that the person who stepped into the room would be Harry. However as soon as she saw Ron's face, she knew that Harry was dead.

Several hours later found Ron, Harry and Draco in the study at Malfoy Manor. Ron told them that Hermione was currently at the Burrow and that she had been given calming draughts to help her sleep. The entire Weasley family was in shock at the news of Harry's death and had taken Hermione in to stay with them until Harry's funeral.

Harry and Draco sat in stony silence as they watched Ron pace the floor between them. Ron was uneasy and agitated and he was quickly bordering on losing his temper, not something he had done much after becoming an Auror. Being the one to break the news of Harry's death to Hermione had been the hardest thing he'd ever done in his life. Ron couldn't imagine how much harder it would have been had Harry really died. It was enough of a torment to hold Hermione as she cried without having to feel that same anguish himself. He had cried with Hermione but it wasn't just sympathetic tears he shed. Ron was feeling a different kind of loss. Though he knew Harry was not dead, in a way he was still losing his best friend. It pained him even more because he knew what Harry was leaving to face and that he would be going alone. Throughout their entire friendship, Ron had tried his best to fight beside Harry no matter what they encountered. It tore away at Ron's insides that he would be staying behind as Harry faced unknown dangers from which Ron would not able to do anything to protect him or help him. He felt frustrated and helpless. Yet as much as he felt the need to be there for Harry, he understood that there was nothing he could do.

This had always been part of Dumbledore's plan and when it came to his work, Ron very rarely strayed from whatever job he was appointed to do. So he had said nothing when the Aurors were apprised of the plan to stage Harry's death. He understood the reasons and had done his part to execute it, no questions asked. Several factors contributed to Ron's rising agitation. He had just told one best friend that her fiancé was dead and his other best friend was leaving to face possible injury and death. Not only was he losing everything in Harry and Draco's staged pretense, but he was also going to have to stay behind to face the results of the fallout. He was already stressed from his massive workload and in addition, he was expected to allow the one person he had ever hated in his life to take the responsibility of caring for the one person remaining whom he loved and respected. This last stage of the plan was a little too much for him to take without voicing his opinion but he tried to control his temper as he continued to recount the events of the last few hours.

"Ginny went to the house to get some of Hermione's clothes. She was convinced of the battle scene and was pretty shaken by the story we told her. She took what she thought Hermione might want and need. We can take Hermione there after the funeral once she's..." He was on the verge of saying, "used to the Harry's death" but the words stuck in his throat. Hermione would never be used to Harry being gone. A deep sorrow and rising anger filled him as he thought of their predicament. It would not have come to this point if it weren't for Voldemort. He deserved to die for all the death and suffering he caused. Ron sometimes wished it were up to him to kill the Dark Lord instead of allowing his two best friends to feel this pain of separation.

When neither Harry nor Draco spoke he changed the topic. "Why does she have to stay here? She's more than welcome at the Burrow and it's more like home for her anyway. Even staying with her parents would be better than staying at Malfoy Manor." Ron had finally reached his breaking point and blurted out the thoughts he had been holding in. The old temper he used to display on a regular basis at school shone through in his eyes and the deep blush that appeared on his cheeks. He no longer hid the contempt with which he spat the name Malfoy.

Both Harry and Draco were startled by Ron's outburst. Harry had not spoken since he left his own home hours ago and had settled into a brooding melancholy. Lying to Hermione and leaving her thinking he was dead weighed heavily on him. The impending confrontation with Voldemort and the journey he was going to have to take to get there weighed equally on his mind and body. "Ron, I know that you want what's best for Hermione," Harry spoke as he tried to pacify the angry redhead and keep his own depression out of his voice. "So you know that there is no better-protected place for her to be than here at the Manor. And after all we're putting her through, there is no way I am going to jeopardize her safety any further."

This was the most Ron had heard out of Harry since his arrival at the Manor. As Harry spoke, Ron could hear the sadness and the anger behind his words and he was immediately sorry for losing his temper. Deep down Ron knew that this part of the plan was not meant to be an affront to him personally but he felt that the responsibility for Hermione's protection should have been his and not Malfoy's. Hermione was Ron's best friend in the whole world apart from Harry. He wanted to get over his own grief of letting Harry go off by himself by helping Hermione get over her grief of his death. They should be going through this together and he felt damned if Malfoy was going to be the one to comfort her instead. Yet Harry's last words hit close to home as he knew that the most important thing now was to keep Hermione safe. He could not deny that the Manor's wards far surpassed any that could be cast upon the Burrow. Not only would Hermione be safe, but also she would never want for anything at the Manor. Malfoy could provide her every luxury and convenience, something that Ron and the Weasleys could never supply.

So Ron bit back his old feelings of mistrust for Malfoy, but he harboured an uneasy feeling about Hermione staying here alone with Draco. He still firmly believed that if Hermione was going to get over her grief she needed to be with people she loved and who loved her back. There was no way that Malfoy was going to be able to provide her that.

Ron looked at Harry and knew that whatever he was feeling about the situation had to be hundreds of times worse for Harry. He resigned himself that Hermione might have to live at the Manor but that she would not want for friends and those who loved her to keep her company. "I'm sorry, Harry," he looked at Draco, "Sorry, Malfoy." His internal dialogue had allowed his temper to dissipate and he felt more levelheaded. He turned his attention to Harry and wished again that his friend didn't have to face Voldemort himself. "You're right about Hermione staying at the Manor, of course. I want what's best for her too. Malfoy and I will make sure that she moves in here immediately and without any difficulty. Your funeral is set for tomorrow and we'll be able to bring her here straightaway. You should already be off by that time."

Harry nodded grimly at Ron and wished that he could have said something more to him. He was grateful that Ron was here. He was thankful that Ron would be around to care for Hermione when he couldn't be there himself. Harry felt indebted to Ron for being there for him throughout most of his life as his best friend. But Harry felt he was in a deep pit now, one that he had fallen into and could not get out of. If he said anything more he was afraid that he would break down. He was leaving everything that had ever meant anything to him, all the things that he loved the most. There was a time when he would have felt intense anger at having to be the one that was entrusted to carry out this responsibility but now he just felt incredible sadness. He felt sad that fate had chosen him for this task because he didn't know if he would be successful. He felt sad that the only woman he had ever loved had to believe he was dead for him to leave her. He felt sad that he couldn't give his best friend all the appreciation he deserved for being there for him all these years. He felt sad for himself, for all the things that could have been his if it was not for Voldemort. He didn't really fear the dangers ahead. He did however fear this overwhelming sadness and hoped that he could rise above it before he embarked on the upcoming journey.

Draco spoke softly to Harry, "You should go and get some rest. We'll get you up when it's time to go."

Harry looked at Draco with a mixture of emotions. Harry wanted to convey his thanks to Draco as well for everything he had done for him. He had helped him to buy his engagement ring for Hermione and to come up with a plan to ease his departure. Now he was accepting Harry's trust to take care of Hermione and watch out for her. Surely it should have been Ron's responsibility but Draco had accepted it nonetheless. Harry would forever be in his debt should he return from his ordeal.

He was never one to express great sentiment, even to his best friend, and it was harder now in the disheartened state he was in. "Thank you, Ron. Thank you, Draco," he hoped that his deepest heart-felt appreciation were expressed in those two simple words. "I think I will sleep. Wake me in a couple of hours."

With a heavy heart he stepped through the doors of the study as both Ron and Draco watched wordlessly.


End file.
